Surprising shutout ends Wolves’ run

Updated: August 1, 2011 10:08AM

After averaging 15 runs in its first three summer league playoff games, Niles West was unable to score in Monday’s regional final.

The Wolves (18-4) managed just one hit off Maine South starter John Forsythe as the Hawks prevailed 1-0 at Niles West. Maine South moved on the summer league Elite Eight in Naperville.

Niles West starter Jason Meger also spun a solid game, giving up just two earned runs. But there was little margin for error with Forsythe at the top of his game.

“(Forsythe) did a nice job,” Niles West head coach Garry Gustafson said. “We’d been putting a lot of runs on the board. I never dreamed the kid would shut us out. To his credit, he went out and pitched a good ballgame against a good hitting team.”

Perhaps the Wolves had used up all their offense in their previous game, a 23-5 thrashing of a solid Notre Dame team on July 20. In that contest, Niles West scored 18 runs in the third inning, sending 22 men to the plate.

At one point, 12 straight batters reached base. That outburst came one inning after West scored five in the second.

“In my 25 years as a coach, we have never had an 18-run inning. We almost batted around three times,” Gustafson said. “(The second and third) were the most impressive two innings since I’ve been at Niles West.”

Leading hitters for Niles West were: Kyle Colletta (3-for-5, 2 runs); Kevin Ross (3-for-3, 2 RBI); Meger (3-for-5, 3 RBI); Eric Stojanoff (2-for-3, 4 RBI); Jimmy Ostrega (2-for-4, 3 RBI); Max Markoff (2 RBI); Evan Athanasiou (3 walks, 4 runs); and Jordan Griffiths (2-for-2, 4 runs, 4 RBI).

Colletta started and pitched four strong innings, giving up one run and striking out five. He was in the dugout by the time the Dons tacked on four runs in the fifth.

A day earlier, Meger turned in a fine outing in a 14-2 win over Highland Park. Meger went the five-inning distance, scattering two hits, with a strikeout and a walk.

With Ross at shortstop and Colletta at second protecting the middle, Wolves pitchers are able to throw strikes and let their fielders do the work.

“I don’t think there could be a better middle infield (in the area),” Gustafson said. “Throw in Meger at third, when he’s not pitching, and that is a solid defensive infield.”

Ostrega reached base all four times against the Giants, scoring two runs. Colletta was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, Meger went 2-for-4 with three RBI and Griffiths knocked in three runs.

Niles West opened the playoffs July 18 with an 8-0 win over Wheeling.

Athanasiou went the distance and gave up just one hit, striking out two.

“Evan just threw a great ballgame,” Gustafson said. “He was in command the whole game.”

Griffiths’ bases-loaded triple in the fifth stretched the lead to 6-0. Ross finished 2-for-4 with a stolen base, Meger tripled, Stojanoff finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI and Quinn Winkler went 2-for-2 with a run knocked in.

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