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McKeown, Andrew earn bragging rights
Updated: May 6, 2011 10:40PM
Andrew was playing its fifth game in as many days and had just come off a pasting at the hands of Lincoln-Way North. The Thunderbolts were looking to get a rebound performance in order to right the ship.
The T-bolts got just that from a bullpen pitcher-turned-starter and the re-emergence of their bats. Andrew took its third consecutive Zabrocki Cup with a 13-3 win in six innings Friday over intracity rival and host Tinley Park.
The Cup is named in honor of Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki. Friday’s contest was the third since the event’s inception, and Andrew (16-7) has won all three.
“I was really pumped up to play this game,’’ Andrew starting pitcher Pat McKeown said. “There was a lot of noise from both sides about this game. They were saying that they were Tinley’s team — not anymore.’’
McKeown (2-0) has made just two starts this year but was called to duty with so many games bunched together, and he responded. He gave the T-bolts five good innings allowing just three runs while working out of several jams.
“(McKeown) did a great job. He really responded to the challenge tonight,’’ Andrew coach Dave DeHaan said. “We needed exactly what he gave us.’’
After being held to two runs Thursday, the T-bolts broke out offensively against the Titans (16-7). It started with the first at-bat of the game when Nick DeBenedetti drove a double to the base of the left-field fence. He was driven in when Pat Elget laced a single to right field for an early 1-0 lead.
“Nick set the tone for us right away,’’ DeHaan said. “We battled and worked hard at the plate.’’
Andrew broke the game open with a four-run second. Brian Cobb had a key hit with a two-run double that scored Dan Durkin and Elget. Greg Bothwell also had a run-producing double in that inning.
“I don’t know what it was today,’’ Cobb said. “The ball looked like a watermelon. He hung a curve to me and I got most of it.’’
Cobb went 3-for-4 with two RBI and Elget had three hits and three RBI. Bothwell scored three runs.
Cameron Hickey, Pat Cosgrave and Neiz Ursich all scored runs for the Titans. McKeown walked only two but he did hit five batters through the course of the game and stranded eight.
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