Paying it forward

Neuqua Valley ace Ian Krol is very familiar with Prairie Ridge's stable of capable starting pitchers, as he played with them on a travel team last summer. The Wildcats and Wolves will decide tonight which team gets a berth to the state championship game.
Kate Szrom / Staff photographer

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LISLE -- The dividends to this game will perhaps be paid out across conference play and into late May.

Naperville North imagines itself as an offensive force, and someday soon it might become one. Until then, the veteran Huskies are content to win games with pitching and defense.

A young Benet team, meanwhile, is curious to find out how certain players will mature and who will step up behind Illinois recruit Bryan Roberts in the rotation.

As the Huskies and Redwings split and turn toward the DuPage Valley and East Suburban Catholic Conference portions of their schedule later this week, each can draw lessons from North's 4-3 win Friday in Lisle.

"That's the beauty (of) nonconference games here. We put some people in some pressure situations," Benet assistant Tom Malloy said. "Just didn't work out this time."

To that end, Benet left-hander Patrick Callahan made the first varsity appearance of his career, and responded by allowing just two runs in 4 2/3 innings. The sophomore began the game by allowing a leadoff home run to Jordan Tassio, who drove it past the right-field corner, but North's offense didn't click until the seventh inning, facing a 3-2 deficit.

Two innings earlier, North third baseman Derek Locascio came to the plate with two on and two out. The senior thought he fouled a ball off his front leg, but the umpires saw it differently, and with the rest of the game seemingly standing still, Benet pitcher Adam Janssen picked it up and threw to first for the third out.

By the time the rematch rolled around, Janssen had walked three batters - one intentionally - to load the bases and Locascio was waiting on the fastball and didn't waste this opportunity.

Locascio drove it up the middle, scoring two runs, and that was enough for North pitcher Aaron Augustyniak (2-1), who scattered six hits - none past the fifth - in throwing a complete game.

"Augustyniak pitched a great game," Locascio said. "He's got a nice curveball and he's got good off-speed (stuff) 'cause he's not (an) overpowering fastball pitcher. But (he'll) hold the team down to like three runs."

And that's exactly what the Huskies need, considering the chilling effect that has swept through their lineup. Even so, North coach Carl Hunckler is confident his hitters will make the necessary adjustments, warming up along with the weather.

Conversely, there were encouraging signs for Benet, which was one out away from victory in a game that amounted to auditions for the rest of the pitching rotation.

Callahan and Janssen allowed only one extra-base hit Friday, while John Boyle already has emerged as a reliable No. 2 pitcher.