Sandburg lets its bats do the talking

Updated: May 16, 2011 10:21PM

There appears to be no silencing Sandburg’s booming bats.

Nick Bates, Mike Malfeo, Brant Valach and Mike Imrie all registered two hits to help Sandburg to a 9-5 win Monday over Homewood-Flossmoor in Orland Park.

The victory edged the Eagles (18-6, 10-2) one step closer to clinching the SouthWest Suburban Blue title. The Eagles open a two-game series against Joliet West today, and a sweep would give them the title outright.

“To quote Michael Douglas in ‘Wall Street,’ ‘Greed is good,’ ” said Sandburg coach Doug Sutor, in reference to Douglas’ character, Gordon Gekko, in the film. “We don’t want to share the conference championship with anyone.”

The Eagles have won 11 of their past 12 games, averaging nearly 10 runs a game in doing so. They registered 12 hits on the day.

What started off well for H-F — a 2-0 first-inning lead — dissolved into a 9-2 deficit by the time the fourth inning started.

Imrie and Dylan Rajkovich each ripped clutch three-run doubles to key the turnaround. Imrie’s came in the bottom of the first and gave the Eagles a 5-2 edge.

Rajkovich’s came in the second after Sandburg mounted a two-out rally. Zach Reks and Valach singled and Dan Rizzie coaxed a walk to keep the inning alive. Rajkovich then hit a rope to deep center field.

“Those were two well-timed bases-loaded doubles,” Sutor said. “Imrie has been hitting the ball hard. He’s a big, strong kid.”

Malfeo drilled an RBI double to score Bates to make it 9-1 after three innings.

That was more than enough cushion for pitcher Matt Farrington. The junior lefty went six innings, allowing eight hits, four walks and struck out five.

He was the beneficiary of an outstanding play at shortstop by Valach, who ranged into short center field to throw out Ryan Rasmas, and by Rizzie, who made a diving stop of a grounder off the bat of Justen Smith.

“Matt’s going to be a good one,” Sutor said. “He’s going to get bigger and stronger.”

To its credit, H-F battled to the very end. Dan Lietz (2-for-4, RBI) and Elon Chamberlain (3-for-4, RBI) starred at the plate for the Vikings (15-10, 4-8).

Lefty Chris Michaels suffered the loss. Right-hander Evan Nietfeldt was strong in relief, firing three innings of two-hit ball.

“We never gave up,” H-F coach Todd Sippel said. “Overall I was happy with our offense, and that was the best Nietfeldt has thrown all year. We have to put things together, but I liked some things I saw from us today.”

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