Matt Mayer deserves a Sunday afternoon on the couch in front of the television, because Saturday he put the Marmion baseball team on his back and carried the Cadets to a doubleheader sweep of Sandwich.
The senior right-hander gave up only two hits and struck out 12 to earn the 2-1 victory in Game 1–but only after driving in the tying run and scoring the winning run in the final inning. Mayer then caught Game 2 and blasted a three-run homer to lift the host Cadets to a 5-3 win.
“He had a busy day,” Marmion coach Jim Reiland said in an understatement.
In the opener Mayer pitched a flawless six innings before losing his control in the top of seventh. He hit a batter and eventually walked in Sandwich’s only run.
“He was getting a little tired,” Reiland said of Mayer, who is 2-0 after giving up only four hits in 14 innings this season. “He threw 119 pitches, a little more than I want my guys to go. He probably could have gone one more [inning], but I’m glad we won it when we did.”
Even though he was promptly caught stealing, Dan Milroy started the Cadets’ seventh-inning rally by getting their first hit of the game. Matt Trowbridge followed with a single and Mayer doubled him in to tie the game 1-1. One out later, Dash Tortoriello singled in Mayer for the win.
Then with Marmion (5-2) trailing 3-2 in the fifth inning of the nightcap, Mayer ripped a two-out, full-count pitch for a three-run homer to give Marmion the lead for good.
“He really got a hold of one,” Reiland said. “Our left-field fence is 330 feet and he cleared that easily. It was probably close to 400 feet.”
Joe Abens went 3-for-6 on the day and took the loss in Game 1 for Sandwich (6-6).
Ed Cavanaugh.
Oak Park 2-5, Hinsdale Central 0-6: Ian Matthews struck out 10 and Pat Waldron hit an RBI double in the opener for the top-ranked Huskies (7-1, 1-1). But Hinsdale Central (7-1, 3-1) earned the West Suburban Silver split when Brandon Hillier scored three runs in Game 2.
Maine South 2-1, Fremd 0-1: Mike Zuhr’s RBI bunt single and winning pitcher Mark Ori’s 13 strikeouts led the No. 2 Hawks (1-1-1) in the opener. Game 2 was called after eight innings due to darkness.
Waubonsie Valley 1-14, St. Charles East 0-8: Erik Horton drove in the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh in Game 1 and then went 3-for-4 with two homers and seven RBIs in Game 2 as the Warriors (7-1, 7-0) swept third-ranked St. Charles East in the Upstate Eight.
Minooka 3, Sandburg 2: Nick Harvey’s sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth inning helped Minooka (5-0) topple No. 4 Sandburg. Collin Walker went the distance, striking out 13 to earn the win.
Homewood-Flossmoor 11, Joliet 7: Tony Steele’s sixth-inning grand slam made the difference for the No. 5 Vikings (4-1).
Andrew 15, Oak Forest 2: The sixth-ranked Thunderbolts (7-0) rolled in five innings behind Mike Ripoli’s grand slam and Matt Maxwell’s three runs scored. Brendan Christy earned the win and also hit two doubles.
St. Rita 4, Shepard 3: With Shepard leading 3-2 going into the last of the seventh, No. 7 St. Rita (7-4) prevailed after Randy Koval singled in Bobby Fiore to tie the game 3-3. Koval then scored the game-winner on a Shepard throwing error.
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Carmel 4, Joliet Catholic 0: Sean Walker tripled and homered for Carmel (7-1, 1-0) in the East Suburban Catholic.
Fenwick 7, St. Benedict 6: Caleb Fields scored the winning run for the Friars (3-2) in the bottom of the seventh inning and also earned the win by striking out the side in the final inning.
Libertyville 8-4, Elk Grove 3-1: Winning pitcher John Dwan struck out eight and also went 3-for-3 with two doubles for the Wildcats (8-0) in the opener.
Neuqua Valley 9-17, East Aurora 1-1: Matt Newquist had two homers and five RBIs for the Wildcats (7-0, 6-0) in the first game of the Upstate Eight sweep.
New Trier 6, Thornwood 0: Ted Rosinski had a solo homer and Rob Anderson added two RBIs for the Trevians (3-1).
Northside Prep 8-15, Steinmetz 0-1: Aaron Kletzing tossed a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts in Game 1 for Northside (6-3).
Reavis 6, Lincoln-Way East 3: The Rams (8-3) prevailed behind Steve Blaney’s two-run double in the top of the ninth. Bill Gomolka (3-1) struck out six.
Richards 10-7, Eisenhower 1-1: Steve Klementzos had five RBIs on the day for the Bulldogs (6-5).
Romeoville 9, Kankakee 6: Dave Tolchin and Eric Lawhead drove in three runs apiece to rally the Spartans (3-2).
St. Francis de Sales 7, Beecher 0: Pitcher Paul Marciniak won his third game with a three-hit effort for the Pioneers (7-1).
St. Patrick 7, Nazareth 5: Mike Sakosky went 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs to lift the Shamrocks (7-1, 1-0) in the East Suburban Catholic. Mike Crittendon gave up two hits in five innings.
St. Viator 6, Marist 5: Frank Cirone cracked the game-winning homer in the 11th as St. Viator (5-3-2, 1-0) rallied past Marist in its East Suburban Catholic opener. Kevin Carkeek, whose two-run single in the seventh extended the game, pitched 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief for the victory.
Wheeling 6, Zion-Benton 1: Jason Wieder had three RBIs to spark Wheeling (3-6).