Spitzzeri inspires Knights to victory

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MAPLE PARK -- All season, Kaneland's baseball team was missing its No. 28.

Junior Joe Spitzzeri, expected to be one of the team's top pitchers, has been recovering from a rare illness for over five months, being out of school and away from the team the entire time.

Prior to Thursday's 7-4 Western Sun Conference win over Sycamore, however, Spitzzeri was back on the mound in his familiar No. 28, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch in an emotional win for the Knights.

"Joe means a lot to the team," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. "This was about him today and the team kind of responded to him being here and us getting to see him for one of the first times in a while. It was great to have him on the bench. Just his presence picked these guys up a lot and they dug down a little deeper. It was a nice victory for him being out here."

Kaneland (13-9 overall, 10-8 WSC) got started quickly offensively with Spitzzeri back on the bench. Jody Henningson drew a leadoff walk and stole second and Joe Gura was then hit by a pitch. A Nick Wagner sacrifice fly and a Mike Pritchard double plated them to open a quick 2-0 lead.

In the fourth, up 3-1, the Knights scored three runs to chase Sycamore starter Kyle Landes (3-3). A two-run single from Pritchard was the big blow in the inning.

"I just try to go up there every time with the same approach, mostly looking for fastballs and just trying to take some pitches lately," Pritchard said. "At the beginning of the season, I was pretty impatient, swinging at the first pitch. Now I see more pitches."

That was just enough for the pitching duo of Cody Crook and Austin Park to deliver the win for Kaneland. Crook allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings before giving way to Park, who earned his fourth save of the season.

Park came on with two runs already in, one out and the bases loaded in the sixth. He got a break on the first batter he faced, as No. 9 hitter Eric Ray hit a grounder in the hole between first and second that would have probably scored two runs, but the ball hit baserunner Nick Anderson in the foot and Park was able to get out of the jam.

In the seventh, Sycamore (16-9, 13-5) had the game-tying run at the plate again in the form of designated hitter David Salvatore, who homered in the fourth. But Park induced two fly ball outs to ice the win.

The loss brings back memories of last season for Sycamore. The Spartans entered the final series of the season against Geneva leading the WSC, only to see the Vikings sweep the final week to steal the title. This season, Sycamore holds a one-game lead over Geneva with three games next week against the Vikings to determine the conference champion.

"We started out really hot last year and kind of got worse as the season went on, which was unusual," Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said. "This year, I think we're playing better than we did last year and we've got the No. 1 guy. We have the best pitcher in the conference (Will Strack). I think he'll pitch Tuesday." Baseball: Kaneland 7, Sycamore 4