Batavia spoils South Elgin’s title hopes

Updated: May 20, 2011 11:04PM

South Elgin picked the wrong time to have a bad day on Friday.

The Storm needed a win at Batavia to earn a share of the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division title with Waubonsie Valley, but things got off on the wrong foot before South Elgin even stepped on the diamond.

First the Storm was with without two key starters in Robbie Greene and John Menken, who both had prior commitments before Friday’s game was added to the schedule as a rain makeup. Then on the way to the game the Storm had bus problems causing the start of the game to be delayed 50 minutes. Not to mention the Storm playing for the fifth consecutive day.

Things didn’t get any better when the game started as the Storm fell behind by five runs in the third inning. South Elgin did rally late, but the comeback fell just short as Batavia held on for 6-5 UEC crossover win to deny the Storm its first ever conference title.

“It was just one of those very interesting days,” said South Elgin coach Jim Kating. “There was just a lot of things going on. But we can’t use that as an excuse. We just came out flat.

“I think the emotional roller coaster we’ve been on this week may have caught up with us. The focus just wasn’t there at the beginning of the game, and when we finally did get on track it was a little too late.”

Batavia broke a 1-all tie with five runs in the third inning to pull ahead 6-1. The Bulldogs were aided by two costly Storm errors.

South Elgin starter, sophomore Nevin Jeske, also issued three free passes with two walks and a hit batter. Batavia’s Danny Seiton stated the inning with a leadoff double and later scored on an RBI single by Sam Burnoski. The other four runs scored on errors and a fielder’s choice.

Jeske was making just his second varsity start and lasted only three innings.

“With five games in five days we’ve used a lot of pitchers and our options were limited,” said Kating. “It was a tough spot top put him in but he was our best option. I thought he threw the ball pretty well. We just didn’t give him much help.”

South Elgin (22-9, 16-9) mounted a comeback in the fifth inning with three runs. Nate Garris and Dan Heine each had RBI doubles in the inning. With one out Heine advanced to third on groundball to first base, but was left stranded there when Batavia starter Nick Pappas struck out Dillon Gardner to get out of the jam.

The Storm added another run in the sixth when Kenny Lowden led off with a double, went to third on a sac bunt by Andrew Perry and scored on a wild pitch to pull the Storm to within a run.

However, Austin Higgins came out of the Batavia bullpen to record the final four outs to end the Storm’s title hopes. It was Higgins second save of the year.

South Elgin managed just seven hits in the game a day after scoring 17 runs against Bartlett. The Storm also struck out 10 times.

“We didn’t put the ball in play enough and didn’t put enough pressure on their defense,” said Kating. “Their kids on the mound had a lot to do with that. They did a good job of changing speeds on us.”

Batavia (14-16-1, 10-13-1) has now won 10 of the its last 13 games.

“We knew what the game meant to them, but I think we were a little more focused on our purpose, and that was to continue our turnaround,” said Batavia coach Matt Holm. “I thought we swung the bats pretty well again today and got some good pitching.”

Perry pitched three scoreless innings of relief for the Storm.

As a result of the outcome, Waubonsie Valley finishes as the outright champion in the UEC Valley with a league record of 17-8.

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