Benet ousts Hinsdale Central, Metea

Updated: July 19, 2011 7:16PM

No one could touch Benet pitching Monday. Hinsdale Central and Metea Valley had their summer league seasons end without scoring a run.

Benet pitchers Jordan Rajewski and Chris Sanderson turned in back-to-back complete-game shutouts to start the Glenbard South Regional playoffs in the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association’s Lawler Summer Classic.

Rajewski threw a three-hitter, did not allow a walk and struck out four in Benet’s 6-0 preliminary-round win over the host Red Devils. Sanderson struck out nine to defeat Metea Valley 4-0 in the first-round game to end the day.

Sam Lucente was the only Hinsdale Central player to have an extra-base hit off Rajewski by doubling in the first inning. Only one batter, Garrett Knecht, reached third base in the game for the Red Devils.

“My offspeed (pitches) worked well,” said Rajewski, a junior from Homer Glen. “My change-up was working and that got them up front. That kept them off balance.”

For Rajewski, the outing was by far his best in at least five summer league appearances.

“I struggled earlier in the season,” Rajewski said. “I came out today nice and did not lose focus before the game.”

Rajewski threw 86 pitches in the game, 57 for strikes, and threw only five pitches in the fourth inning and eight in the second inning.

The game ended the summer league season for Lucente, who was Hinsdale Central’s only representative in the Stevenson Showcase last month. Lucente has two more tournaments remaining this summer with his club team, the DuPage Dragons. Lucente will head to Kankakee this weekend and then end the month with a trip to Lubbock, Texas, for another tournament.

Lucente has played nine games in five days after playing the Glenbard South Regional’s preliminary round.

Lucente’s only other teammates with a hit against Benet was Will Howson and Justice Camalick.

“At Stevenson, you see the guys in the (West Suburban) conference and play with them in the field. It’s always rocking,” Lucente said.

Lucente is in his fourth season playing for the Dragons, which is coached by former minor league player Jared Koutnik.

One of Lucente’s main priorities this summer is to work on his arm strength. In Monday’s first inning, Benet’s Andrew Mogni hit a grounder to a diving Lucente, who came up throwing to first base but was unable to throw out Mogni (2-for-4, 2 RBI).

“(Arm strength) is mostly what I work on in the offseason,” Lucente said. “My hitting has been good and my fielding has been solid.”

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