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46 | April 26, 2018 | The Lockport Legend Sports lockportlegend.com Porters snap Griffins’ 11-game winning streak in Lockport Team scores deciding run without a hit in bottom of the seventh Randy Whalen Freelance Reporter There was a bigger feel than an average high school baseball game when Lincoln-Way East visited Lockport Township last week. After all, even in a spring filled with bad weather that has postponed many a game, the two teams entered with a combined record of 23-3. But on a sunny day, with temperatures actually approaching the mid 50s after an inch of snow fell the night before, it was Lockport that slipped by for a big win at the end. Without getting a hit, the Porters pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh to defeat East 2-1 in a SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue Division showdown on Thursday, April 19, at Ed Flink Field in Lockport. The Porters (11-4, 3-0) bounced back from a 3-2 loss to Andrew in a SWSC crossover two days before. East (13-2, 2-1) saw its 11- game win streak end. “Not only was it a conference game, more importantly it was a sectional [preview] game,” Lockport coach Andy Satunas said of the matchup between the two teams, which are once again in the same sectional this season. “So this is big for seeding. We needed all hands on deck to win against a great team like Lincoln- Way East.” Each team made three errors, but it was a big one at the end that cost the Griffins. “I don’t think either team played particularly well,” East coach Eric Brauer said. “It was a tough game, but every conference game is a tough game. We made too many mistakes, and give credit to Lockport for taking advantage of them.” In the bottom of the seventh, senior pinch hitter Alex Martinez led off by getting hit by a pitch from East ace Cole Kirschsieper on a 2-1 count. Senior right fielder Jimmy Heintz then put down a nice sacrifice bunt but was safe at first when a throwing error pulled senior first baseman Jake Tencza off the bag. Senior designated hitter Bryan Fox followed with another well-placed bunt that was fielded by Kirschsieper. But his throw to third for the force was too late, as senior pinch runner Brendan O’Connor beat the throw to load the bases with nobody out. Ever the competitor, Kirschsieper, a junior lefty who pitched the Griffins to an appearance in the IHSB- CA summer state tournament title game last year, got junior shortstop Nolan Weis to hit a ground ball to second baseman Jacob Slager, who threw to senior catcher Jared Mutter for a force out at the plate. That left the bases still loaded with one out and brought up leadoff hitter and junior center fielder Collin Woulfe. Facing who was going to be his last batter no matter what, Kirschsieper (6 2/3 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 H, 7 K, BB, HBP) got ahead 0-2 in the count. But Woulfe walloped the next pitch to medium deep center field. It was caught by senior center fielder Julian Everett, but his throw had no chance, as Heintz hurried home to score the winning run. Lockport’s Brendan O’Connor attempts to slide past Lincoln-Way East catcher Jared Mutter during the matchup of the two teams Thursday, April 19, at Ed Flink Field in Lockport. Photos by Julie McMann/22nd Century Media “I was just trying to put it in play,” Woulfe said of the sacrifice fly. “When I hit it, it felt good. I ran to first, and then looked back [as Heintz scored], then I just felt great, fantastic. [The Griffins] are a good team, and it felt great to get that win.” It felt great to score the winning run, too. “I was happy to get the bunt down, make something happen for us, and it felt really good to score the gamewinner,” Heintz said. “We fell behind, but we all really executed when we needed to. Considering last year we lost to them twice (10-9 and 5-2), and then lost to them in the regional title game in the summer (8-5), it was a really great come-frombehind win. This shows that we can compete with anyone.” Kirschsieper (6-1) was reaching his 105-pitch limit, so he was going to come out of the game, no matter what, after Woulfe’s at-bat. “It was a fantastic outing by Cole,” Brauer said. “We just didn’t do enough behind him. He was going to come out with his pitch count at the end. But if we made some plays, he would have had 10-15 more pitches available. It was a good battle, and [Lockport] got it [last week].” The all-important first game between the conference rivals went to the Porters. “We played some small ball, and we had guys doing the little things,” Satunas said. “It was exciting to see us execute so well against a great pitcher like Cole [Kirschsieper] and a great Lincoln-Way East team. We kept it close and got it at the end.” East scored first in the second. Tencza (2-for-2, R) led off with a double to right. He was sacrificed to third by junior right fielder Cameron Lee. He was still on third with two outs but scored when junior designated hitter Matt Watson reached on an error. Junior shortstop Ryan Ritter (2-for-3, BB) had a single past short in the first and a double to left center in the third. Those four hits were all the Griffins could muster against a trio of Lockport pitchers. They did, however, leave eight on base. Included in that was leaving the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. The top of the sixth is when Rich Jesse Jr. entered the game. The senior righthander issued a walk to load the bases, but he came back with a strikeout to end the inning. After the Porters tied it at 1-1, he got threestraight fly outs to Woulfe to set down East in order for the first time all game in the top of the seventh. “It was a good win against great competition,” Jesse Jr. said. “I was wild Josh Bentley takes a rip at a pitch for the Porters during his team’s 2-1 win. on the first batter I faced, but then I was able to get the big strikeout in the sixth. In the seventh, Collin was outstanding in center field for me.” Lockport knotted the game by getting two of its three hits in the sixth. With one out, senior first baseman CJ Weins walked. Junior second baseman Josh Bentley hit a high chopper for an infield single, and junior third baseman Jon Weis lined a single to left to load the bases. Sophomore catcher Nick Schindler then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Weins. Senior right-hander Tommy Louch (4 2/3 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 H, 3 K, 1 BB) started for the Porters. Senior lefty TJ Jaros (1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 1 HBP) followed before Jesse, Jr. (1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K, 1 BB), who improved to 3-0 with the win in relief. “We’re a competitive team, and not someone to sleep on,” said Jesse Jr., who was cut from the team as a junior. “I’m excited to see this, but I know we have a lot more in us. It feels good.”
lockportlegend.com Sports the Lockport Legend | April 26, 2018 | 47 fastbreak Boys Tennis Young Porters take first in own invite 1st and 3 Geoff Stellfox/ 22nd Century Media Porters win eightteam Lockport Invitational 1. Taking the crown The Porters boys tennis team came out on top Saturday, April 21, at the Lockport Invitational. Warren finished second. 2. Sensational singles LTHS top singles player Jack Randall cruised to his title in Flight A, winning his final match 6-0, 6-0 at the invitational. Meanwhile, Dan Evans won Flight B. 3. Doubled up Lockport doubles teams played each other in the thirdplace match in Flight B, with Jacob Cala and Kyle Steinhoff beating Jared Kocolowski and John Evans 6-2, 6-3. Randall, Evans win singles titles Erin Redmond Freelance Reporter For a young squad like Lockport, inexperience and invitational titles typically don’t go hand-in-hand. However, these Porters broke the mold. The squad won its Lockport Invitational Saturday, April 21, with dominant performances from top to bottom. The Porters took no lower than fifth place in doubles and singles action in both flights and saw two tournament singles champions in Jack Randall, who finished first in Flight A, and Dan Evans, who claimed the top spot in Flight B. Randall, who is known for being one of the top players in the state, was the last one on the court for the Porters. He sealed his title in unquestionable fashion, winning 6-0, 6-0. Evans also asserted his dominance in the Flight B championship match. He downed his opponent from Marmion Academy 6-4, 6-2. The Porters locked up first place as a team well before Randall’s match concluded. They were followed by Warren in second place and Marmion Academy, which took third in the eight-team invitational. “It’s a good feeling; it’s one of the first times in recent history [we won our invitational],” Porters coach Bob Champlin said. “The format is similar to sectionals, so it’s great for a confidence booster knowing twos can play against ones and be competitive. The singles, in general, are playing really well. Having my third singles [Dan Evans] win the whole thing I’m sure builds a lot of confidence in him.” In other singles action, Seth Yaeger finished as consolation champion in Flight A. Yaeger lost his first match, but he rebounded to win his next three straight. In Flight B, Nick Lindau took fifth place over Marian Catholic. Lockport saw two of its doubles teams square off against one another in the third-place match in Flight B. The team of Jacob Cala and Kyle Steinhoff came away victorious, beating their Porter counterparts Jared Kocolowski and John Evans 6-2, 6-3. “This happens quite a bit,” Champlin said. “... It’s always fun when they play against each other for something that counts.” The doubles team of sophomore Fernando Meraz and freshman Doug Blomquist finished in third place in Flight A, winning over Marmion Academy. Lockport’s Peter Naylor, a Jack Randall, the Porters’ No. 1 singles player, as well as one of the top players in the state, won the singles title in Flight A Saturday, April 21, at the Lockport Invitational. Photos by Geoff Stellfox/22nd Century Media freshman, and junior Andrew Whetter took fifth in Flight A, falling to Marmion Academy in a close match, but they later knocked off Marian Catholic to claim fifth. “My doubles teams are both young teams,” Champlin said. “I have a freshman, sophomore and a freshman and eleventh-grader; they did really well. They’re young with not that much experience, so they did really well, considering. … The younger players, this [invitational] helps them, because they get to experience this level of competition.” Lockport was to be back Lockport’s Fernando Meraz (left) and Doug Blomquist compete at the invitational. The doubles team finished third in Flight A. on the court to continue its quest towards a conference championship at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, when it took on conference rival Sandburg in Orland Park. LISTEN UP “The format is similar to sectionals, so it’s great for a confidence booster knowing twos can play against ones and be competitive. The singles, in general, are playing really well.” Bob Champlin — LTHS boys tennis coach, on the Lockport Invitational and his singles players Tune In Boys Tennis Back at home — 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 26, vs. Lincoln-Way East • The Porters take on the Griffins before competing in the Hersey Invite, which begins the next day. Index 42 - Athlete of the Week 42 - This Week In FASTBREAK is compiled by Contributing Editor Thomas Czaja, tom@homerhorizon.com.
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