Championship Game
Lake Forest 4 Niles Braves Red 1
Behind a stellar pitching performance from J.R. Reimer (7IP, 1ER, 4H, 9K) Lake Forest took a 4-1 decision from Niles Braves Red and captured the 2011 North Suburban Colt League Championship. The title was the second in three years for the Lake Forest squad. The loss marks the second consecutive second place finish for Niles Braves Red.
Braves leadoff hitter Sing Fong walked to open the game but was promptly picked off by Reimer who displayed an outstanding move to first. Reimer retired the next two hitters in order and fanned all three of the Braves hitters that he faced in the second. Lake Forest tallied twice in the bottom of the first. With one out, Jack Troller singled to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Hub Cirame then singled and moved to second on the throw home which held Troller at third. Liam Howe grounded to short, scoring Troller and Tommy Kutschke singled to left center, plating Cirame.
In the top of the third, Josh Kaplan led off with a walk but quickly became Reimer’s second pickoff victim. Bobby DeLeonardis managed a two-out single but was stranded at second base. Lake Forest expanded its lead in the third. With one out, Templeman singled to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Troller walked and Hub Cirame singled, scoring Templeman and moving Troller to third. A wild pitch plated Troller to make the score 4-0. Niles mounted a small threat in the fourth inning. Dion Ursino walked and moved to second on a wild pickoff throw at first by Reimer. After fly out, Andrew Fialkowski singled to put runners at first and third. Ethan Woods struck out for the second out and Niles then elected to attempt a double steal. Fialkowski began walking toward second and drew a throw from Reimer who delivered the ball to second baseman Connor Hanrahan. Hanrahan began running Fialkowski to back to first and, when Ursino broke for the plate, delivered a perfect throw to catcher Griffen Brennan who tagged Ursino out to end the inning.
With Braves starter Kevin Nicholson putting the clamps on the Lake Forest offense in the fourth, Niles finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Tommy Schaedel opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on Bobby DeLeonardis’ bloop double down the right field line. A ground out ended the inning with Niles trailing 4-1. In the top of the seventh, Braves pinch hitter Tommy Williams opened the inning with a single. Reimer remained unfazed and finished the game in style by striking out the next three hitters.
Semi-Finals:
Niles Braves Red 20 Morton Grove Mustangs 10
In a game in which the teams combined for 30 runs and 31 hits, Niles Braves Red used an eight run fifth inning to end the game via the ten rule by a score of 20-10. Morton Grove chased Niles Braves starting pitcher Paul Brandeisky in the first inning. After leadoff man Vince Guzaldo’s drive to left field was misplayed, the Mustangs pounded Brandeisky for four consecutive hits, including doubles by Brian Jones, Logan Kost, and Joseph Nottoli. Morton Grove had plated four runs after Notolli’s double and the damage could have been worse if Guzaldo hadn’t been picked off second base. With three runs in, one out, and Nottoli at third base, Dan Ammer struck out. The ball evaded Dion Ursino who threw out Ammer at first. Nottoli attempted to score on Ursino’s throw but was gunned down at the plate to end the Morton Grove rally. Niles immediately responded by tallying four times in the bottom of the first after two were out. A hit batsman and five consecutive singles accounted for the scoring. Leading 6-4 going into the bottom of the third, the Braves appeared to put the game out of reach in the third by scoring six more runs. Josh Kaplan reached on an error to lead off the inning and four consecutive hits followed. After a fly out, Ursino doubled home two runs and Danny Hyde (4-4, 5 rbi, 2 runs, 2 2B) doubled home two more.
Morton Grove didn’t go quietly and the Mustangs exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to cut the Braves lead to 12-10. After the lead off man reached on an error, the Mustangs strung together four consecutive hits, capped by Nottoli’s (2-3, 4 rbi, run, 2B) bases loaded double. Nottoli scored on an rbi single by Matt Stangel. Jesse Green singled home the final run of the Morton Grove rally. Niles ended the game via the ten run rule in the bottom of the fifth when it scored eight times. Hyde opened the hit parade with a one-out double. A hit batsman followed and then four straight singled chased home four runs. The game ended with Ursino being hit by a pitch to force home a run followed by rbi singles by Hyde and Andrew Fialkowski (3-4, 2 rbi, run, 2B).
Lake Forest 17 Highland Park 3
Arriving for the semi-final game after having topped Loyola earlier in the day, Highland Park carried their momentum into the first inning by jumping on Lake Forest starting pitcher Liam Howe for three runs in the first inning. Oren Spungen led off with a walk and scored on David Joseph’s triple to right field. David Hochstadt singled home Joseph and wound up scoring on Matt Lowy’s double giving Highland Park an early 3-0 lead.
The potent Lake Forest offense responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. The first eight Lake Forest hitters reached base during the Scouts’ six-run rally. Sam Templeman and Jack Troller each drew walks to open the game. Hub Cirame singled home Templeman and winning pitcher Liam Howe (2-3, 2 rbi, 2 runs) singled home two more. After Tommy Kutschke (2-2, 3 rbi, 3 runs, 2B, 3B) walked, Chris Wilson singled to center but Howe was cut down at the plate on a perfect relay from Highland Park first baseman Matt Lowy. The Highland Park defense broke down on the next two plays. Robert Kesman hit a ground ball to Lowy at first but was safe when the pitcher failed to cover first. J.R. Reimer (2-3, rbi, run, 2 2B) then hit a ground ball that went thru the Highland Park second baseman into right field. By the time the inning ended, Lake Forest led 6-3.
Lake Forest scored three times in the second. With one out, Troller was hit by a pitch, stole second, and moved to third on a passed ball. With two outs, Howe struck out but the ball went to the backstop, allowing Troller to score and Howe to reach first base. Kutschke’s triple plated Howe and a Highland Park infield error allowed Kutschke to score. After a rough first inning, Howe settled in and held Highland Park to just three hits over the next four innings.
Lake Forest scored eight times in the bottom of the fourth. Templeman opened the inning with a walk and, after a popout, Cirame was hit by a pitch. Howe’s infield single loaded the bases and Kutschke’s double plated two runs. Chris Wilson reached on an infield hit which pushed another run across the plate and, after Kesman fanned, Reimer double home one run. Jacob Grant’s ground ball to third was booted and, as a result, two more runs scored. Henry Erzinger doubled home the seventh run of the inning and eventually scored on a passed ball.
Lake Forest 4 Niles Braves Red 1
Behind a stellar pitching performance from J.R. Reimer (7IP, 1ER, 4H, 9K) Lake Forest took a 4-1 decision from Niles Braves Red and captured the 2011 North Suburban Colt League Championship. The title was the second in three years for the Lake Forest squad. The loss marks the second consecutive second place finish for Niles Braves Red.
Braves leadoff hitter Sing Fong walked to open the game but was promptly picked off by Reimer who displayed an outstanding move to first. Reimer retired the next two hitters in order and fanned all three of the Braves hitters that he faced in the second. Lake Forest tallied twice in the bottom of the first. With one out, Jack Troller singled to center and moved to second on a wild pitch. Hub Cirame then singled and moved to second on the throw home which held Troller at third. Liam Howe grounded to short, scoring Troller and Tommy Kutschke singled to left center, plating Cirame.
In the top of the third, Josh Kaplan led off with a walk but quickly became Reimer’s second pickoff victim. Bobby DeLeonardis managed a two-out single but was stranded at second base. Lake Forest expanded its lead in the third. With one out, Templeman singled to left and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Troller walked and Hub Cirame singled, scoring Templeman and moving Troller to third. A wild pitch plated Troller to make the score 4-0. Niles mounted a small threat in the fourth inning. Dion Ursino walked and moved to second on a wild pickoff throw at first by Reimer. After fly out, Andrew Fialkowski singled to put runners at first and third. Ethan Woods struck out for the second out and Niles then elected to attempt a double steal. Fialkowski began walking toward second and drew a throw from Reimer who delivered the ball to second baseman Connor Hanrahan. Hanrahan began running Fialkowski to back to first and, when Ursino broke for the plate, delivered a perfect throw to catcher Griffen Brennan who tagged Ursino out to end the inning.
With Braves starter Kevin Nicholson putting the clamps on the Lake Forest offense in the fourth, Niles finally got on the board in the top of the fifth. Tommy Schaedel opened the inning with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. He scored on Bobby DeLeonardis’ bloop double down the right field line. A ground out ended the inning with Niles trailing 4-1. In the top of the seventh, Braves pinch hitter Tommy Williams opened the inning with a single. Reimer remained unfazed and finished the game in style by striking out the next three hitters.
Semi-Finals:
Niles Braves Red 20 Morton Grove Mustangs 10
In a game in which the teams combined for 30 runs and 31 hits, Niles Braves Red used an eight run fifth inning to end the game via the ten rule by a score of 20-10. Morton Grove chased Niles Braves starting pitcher Paul Brandeisky in the first inning. After leadoff man Vince Guzaldo’s drive to left field was misplayed, the Mustangs pounded Brandeisky for four consecutive hits, including doubles by Brian Jones, Logan Kost, and Joseph Nottoli. Morton Grove had plated four runs after Notolli’s double and the damage could have been worse if Guzaldo hadn’t been picked off second base. With three runs in, one out, and Nottoli at third base, Dan Ammer struck out. The ball evaded Dion Ursino who threw out Ammer at first. Nottoli attempted to score on Ursino’s throw but was gunned down at the plate to end the Morton Grove rally. Niles immediately responded by tallying four times in the bottom of the first after two were out. A hit batsman and five consecutive singles accounted for the scoring. Leading 6-4 going into the bottom of the third, the Braves appeared to put the game out of reach in the third by scoring six more runs. Josh Kaplan reached on an error to lead off the inning and four consecutive hits followed. After a fly out, Ursino doubled home two runs and Danny Hyde (4-4, 5 rbi, 2 runs, 2 2B) doubled home two more.
Morton Grove didn’t go quietly and the Mustangs exploded for six runs in the fifth inning to cut the Braves lead to 12-10. After the lead off man reached on an error, the Mustangs strung together four consecutive hits, capped by Nottoli’s (2-3, 4 rbi, run, 2B) bases loaded double. Nottoli scored on an rbi single by Matt Stangel. Jesse Green singled home the final run of the Morton Grove rally. Niles ended the game via the ten run rule in the bottom of the fifth when it scored eight times. Hyde opened the hit parade with a one-out double. A hit batsman followed and then four straight singled chased home four runs. The game ended with Ursino being hit by a pitch to force home a run followed by rbi singles by Hyde and Andrew Fialkowski (3-4, 2 rbi, run, 2B).
Lake Forest 17 Highland Park 3
Arriving for the semi-final game after having topped Loyola earlier in the day, Highland Park carried their momentum into the first inning by jumping on Lake Forest starting pitcher Liam Howe for three runs in the first inning. Oren Spungen led off with a walk and scored on David Joseph’s triple to right field. David Hochstadt singled home Joseph and wound up scoring on Matt Lowy’s double giving Highland Park an early 3-0 lead.
The potent Lake Forest offense responded immediately in the bottom of the inning. The first eight Lake Forest hitters reached base during the Scouts’ six-run rally. Sam Templeman and Jack Troller each drew walks to open the game. Hub Cirame singled home Templeman and winning pitcher Liam Howe (2-3, 2 rbi, 2 runs) singled home two more. After Tommy Kutschke (2-2, 3 rbi, 3 runs, 2B, 3B) walked, Chris Wilson singled to center but Howe was cut down at the plate on a perfect relay from Highland Park first baseman Matt Lowy. The Highland Park defense broke down on the next two plays. Robert Kesman hit a ground ball to Lowy at first but was safe when the pitcher failed to cover first. J.R. Reimer (2-3, rbi, run, 2 2B) then hit a ground ball that went thru the Highland Park second baseman into right field. By the time the inning ended, Lake Forest led 6-3.
Lake Forest scored three times in the second. With one out, Troller was hit by a pitch, stole second, and moved to third on a passed ball. With two outs, Howe struck out but the ball went to the backstop, allowing Troller to score and Howe to reach first base. Kutschke’s triple plated Howe and a Highland Park infield error allowed Kutschke to score. After a rough first inning, Howe settled in and held Highland Park to just three hits over the next four innings.
Lake Forest scored eight times in the bottom of the fourth. Templeman opened the inning with a walk and, after a popout, Cirame was hit by a pitch. Howe’s infield single loaded the bases and Kutschke’s double plated two runs. Chris Wilson reached on an infield hit which pushed another run across the plate and, after Kesman fanned, Reimer double home one run. Jacob Grant’s ground ball to third was booted and, as a result, two more runs scored. Henry Erzinger doubled home the seventh run of the inning and eventually scored on a passed ball.