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North Stars get back on track
Updated: May 9, 2011 9:18PM
St. Charles North’s baseball team regained a bit of its swagger Monday.
Two days removed from a demoralizing doubleheader sweep at the hands of Streamwood, the North Stars bounced back in a big way against Larkin by scoring three runs in the top of the first and five more in the third. The early onslaught effectively took the life out of the Royals, who saw their losing streak hit seven with the 8-0 Upstate Eight Conference River Division defeat.
North senior John Brodner continued his recent hot streak at the plate by going 2-for-3 with a home run, double, three RBI and two runs scored. Jake Johansmeier also went 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored as the North Stars piled up 12 hits.
“It’s always comforting to come out and get a couple runs right off the bat,” Brodner said. “That puts the pressure on (the other team) to start hitting and to make a couple plays.”
North (18-8, 12-5) got going in the first when Andrew Elliot singled with one out, stole second and scored on Brodner’s double off the wall into the teeth of the wind blowing in from right field. Johansmeier followed by drilling a shot to left field that went in and out of the glove of Larkin’s Nate Woodruff and over the fence for a two-run home run.
Brodner belted a two-run homer in the third for his seventh round tripper of the year. An RBI single by Jake Bergren and a two-run single by No. 9 hitter Derek Backer kept the line moving and gave the North Stars a comfortable eight-run lead.
That was plenty of support for senior starter Justin Wightman (1-1), who tossed 5 1/3 innings of shutout ball in his first start since late March. He struck out seven, walked five and allowed only three hits.
“(Wightman) probably has some of the best stuff on our staff, but he just sometimes can’t quite find the strike zone with his fastball,” North coach Todd Genke said. “His breaking stuff is very good and he had them off balance today.
“I’m proud of him. It’s been a challenge for him, he’s worked very hard and today he got rewarded with a very good outing that got us going back in the right direction.”
Backer and Elliot also finished 2-for-3 at the plate for the North Stars. Meanwhile, the Royals could only muster four hits on the day as they were held to three runs or fewer for the ninth time in their past 12 games. Larkin (9-16, 3-14) has lost 11 of those past 12 outings.
Drew Shore (1-5) struggled on the mound for the Royals, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits while striking out one and walking one in four innings. It was a familiar scene for Royals coach Matt Esterino.
“In the last week we’ve been seeing really good competition and we’ve been falling in some holes that have been hard to come back from,” Esterino said. “Our pitchers are very capable, but for the last week we haven’t come out throwing two or three pitches for strikes. That means we have to lean on the fastball, and that’s been getting hit.”
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