Porters on cloud nine vs. Joliet

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In a 13-run victory, a squeeze bunt might not seem like a big thing. But it typified how the little things produced a big win for Lockport on Thursday.

The Porters made the most of their opportunities, putting up a nine-spot after two were out in the third, and went on to jolt Joliet 15-2 in five innings at Joliet West.

By virtue of the win, Lockport (23-9, 8-6) ties JT (18-13, 8-6) for second place in the final standings in the SouthWest Suburban Blue. "Second place is what it is," Lockport coach Steve Stanicek said. "But we won four games this week and I'm just pleased with how we're playing right now."

Although the game was a blowout, it turned on a a few early plays. After setting down Lockport in order in the top of the first, the Steelmen looked to take the early lead in the bottom half of the inning. An error on a dropped third strike, a hit by pitch, and a walk loaded the bases for JT with two outs.

But Porter pitcher Tyler Willis got a groundout to Nick Daniels at third to end the inning.

Then with one out in the top of the second, Daniels delivered again. The senior had hit a walk-off grand slam on Tuesday to beat the Steelmen 7-3. This time his hit wasn't as exciting, but it was another homer nonetheless.

Daniels fourth round tripper of the season, and third this week, put the Porters on top 1-0.

"The other one was a little more dramatic," smiled Daniels, who was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. "But the ball felt good off the bat and I was glad I could take the ball the other way.

"We were looking to drive the ball and hit well today. Our guys are heating up going into the postseason."

Back-to-back singles by Josh Marszalek and Eddie Larson followed. Steelmen starter Eric Sowa was then called for a balk, moving the runners to second and third.

That brought up No. 8 hitter, Connor Petschke. The junior center fielder got an unexpected sign, but came up with the perfect result for Lockport.

Petschke was given the squeeze sign and, with Marszalek streaking toward home on the pitch, he executed it flawlessly by pushing a bunt up the right side. Petschke was thrown out at first on the play, but the second run had scored before the ball was even picked up.

"I almost missed the sign," Petschke admitted. "I was just getting back in the box and at the last moment I saw (Stanicek) give it. Good thing I didn't miss it.

"I had been in a little slump and I asked to try anything to get out of it. So it was good to just get the bat on the ball and get the bunt down."

"That was a great call in that situation," JT coach Terry Piazza said. "Credit coach Stanicek for that one."

The Steelmen answered back with one-out in the bottom of the second. that's when Chad Carlson homered to right-center. It looked like another close contest at that point, but that all changed in the third.

Lockport had runners on first and third with two outs. Daniels hit a shot to JT third baseman Matt Heizer, who made a tremendous stop. However Heizer's throw to second for a force sailed into the outfield and Matt Skrzypiec, who reached on an error to open the frame and later had a double in the inning, scored.

That opened the floodgates. Mixed in was another error, the third of the inning, and a walk as the next seven Lockport batters reached base safely and eight more runs scored. Marszalek and Kyle Billig had RBI singles and the inning was capped on an RBI double by Jon Cisna.

But the big blow was a bases-loaded triple by Petschke to left. The ball nearly left the park, as it one-hopped off the fence and Petschke had four RBI on the day and was officially out of his slump.

"Two weeks ago he doesn't come up with that big hit," Stanicek said. "But there he cleared the bases. Maybe it started with the bunt. Hopefully that kick-starts him and the team for the rest of the season."

"It was just nice to hit the ball hard again there," Petschke said.

"We just had defensive lapses," Piazza said. "Eric really pitch poorly, we just gave them six outs and that's what happens when you do that.

"Then they do the same thing (make three errors) and we can only scratch out a run. That's a credit to them, but we didn't take advantage of our opportunities and that changed the complexion of the game."

Indeed in the bottom of the third, JT benefited from a trio of Porters errors to load the bases with two outs. Matt Ronchetti rapped an RBI single up the middle to make the score 11-2. But Willis got a strikeout to end the inning and the Steelmen never had a runner reach base the rest of the game.

Sowa (4-1) departed the game after allowing two earned runs on eight hits with two walks and no strikeouts in three innings. The Porters added four more runs in the fourth. Rich Estes had a bases-loaded walk, Marszalek (2-for-2) scored his third run of the game on a wild pitch, and Rick Guth pinch-hit a two-run single.

Lockport finished with 10 hits.

Willis improved to 6-1. The senior lefty went four innings, allowing one earned on on two hits, hitting one, walking two and striking out five.

"Our offense has come around at the right time and it was nice to score 15 runs," Petschke said. "Everyone is catching fire at the right time."