By LAURA M. MEDINA - sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats step closer to championship
Squad splits with Westmont in Saturday play
After splitting two games on Saturday afternoon, only one more matchup stands between the Westmont Red Sox and the Oswego Cats and a spot in the Stan Musial World Series.
Oswego topped Westmont 6-2 in the opener but lost 12-4 in 11 innings in the nightcap, setting up an exciting finale for American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Regional Tournament on Sunday at Jackie’s Field of Dreams.
With a three-team bracket in place, Oswego and Westmont needed wins against Addison to reach the championship matchup, and they each made quick work of the Braves, as the Red Sox won 6-1 on Thursday, and the Cats defeated them 9-1 in five innings the following night.
These wins left the Chicago Suburban Baseball League adversaries with a best-of-three series in which the winner will earn a bid to the Stan Musial World Series, which begins Aug. 6 at Farmingdale State (N.Y.) University. For Oswego (17-14, 15-10), it would be their first such trip since placing fourth in 2012 at Port St. Lucie (Fla.).
Knowing the significance of another go-around in the national event, the Cats came out strong in game one behind the efforts of right-hander Kevin Loukota, who needed an hour and 45 minutes for the win.
Loukota improved to 3-0 in five appearances (three starts) despite struggling in the first inning, when he allowed an RBI-double that put the Red Sox on top early. He gave up a homer in the second, but that would be the extent of the damage, as he then allowed just three more hits while pitching seven consecutive scoreless innings and fanning 10 along the way.
Offensively, Oswego benefitted from timely hits. Centerfielder Clay Schuler had a two-run homer over the left-field wall in the first, while right fielder Bobby Smith and shortstop Mike Rissley had base hit-RBIs in the second. In the fourth, first baseman Ryan O’Dell brought two runners in on a passed ball by the second baseman to account for the final 6-2 tally.
“The first game was pretty good,” Cats field manager Todd Miller said. “Kevin pitched pretty well. He gave them one early, but Clay’s homer got us back on top. We gave them one back on a home run in the next inning, but we nicked away at them and put them away.”
In game 2, Westmont jumped out to a 2-0 lead against right-hander Kendall Interial in the second inning, getting its first run on a defensive miscue and its second on a wild pitch.
The visiting side added another score in the fourth on a sacrifice RBI, but Oswego was able to get a run back in the bottom half of the inning, thanks in part to designated hitter Javier Martinez III’s bases-loaded walk.
The Red Sox made it 4-1 with an RBI-double in the fifth, but in the second half of the frame, the Cats were able to tack on two runs of their own, with Loukota drawing a bases-loaded walk that brought left fielder Bailey Watros home, and O’Dell plating Smith on what appeared to be a misplay by the second baseman.
Oswego then added the equalizer in the seventh, when Martinez sent Loukota home with a long single.
Each team had its opportunities to command the game before it reached extra innings, but Westmont finally broke the 4-4 deadlock in the 11th inning.
“We had our chances,” Miller said. “We battled back and had our chances late there in the 10th inning with runners at first and second with one out.”
Interial surrendered six hits, four walks and two hit batters while striking out 11 in 10 innings, giving way to left-hander Andy Grunewald. Unfortunately, struggles with his command and defensive mistakes all around led to the Cats’ eventual unraveling in the 12-4 loss.
“Kendall struggled a bit early, and he had some trouble with location, but he came back and pitched his (butt) off,” Miller said. “He kind of changed things around there and...really had them off balance.”
Grunewald faced eight batters and had induced just one out before right-hander Dominick Tatone recorded the final two outs. The Red Sox, meanwhile, benefitted from five hits and four walks from their 11 batters in the inning.
“I hope they see that (Westmont) didn’t quit,” Miller said. “They gave up a 4-1 lead late, and they didn’t quit, like you hoped they would. Instead, they took advantage of our mistakes and were in the right place at the right time.
"You hope we learn something from it. You can’t give up, and they (Red Sox) didn’t.”
Miller is hoping his players shake off Saturday’s second game and come back renewed for Sunday, as it is their last chance to fulfill goals they set for themselves before the season started.
“There’s no other way to put it - it’s win or go home, and I mean that in the ultimate sense of those words,” he said. “Win (Sunday), or your season is done, and they better come out with a little bit of fire and a little bit of enthusiasm, because this is it...unless you come out and do what you are supposed to do, what you were brought here to do.
“You have nine innings to prove that you’re the team that’s supposed to be there, and until we do that, it’s anyone’s game.”
Right-hander Tom Ozlanski is expected to make the start for Oswego. He is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA in six games (three starts) this summer but hasn’t faced Westmont since last year. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
By LAURA M. MEDINA - sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats win, advance to play Sunday
Trip to Stan Musial World Series at stake
When the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Regional Tournament shrunk to just three teams, every game became that much more important for each squad involved. As such, the host Oswego Cats took an important step to ensuring that things would go their way by defeating Addison 9-1 in five innings on Friday night at Jackie’s Field of Dreams.
It was originally expected that Westmont, Addison and host Oswego (16-13, 14-10 Chicago Suburban Baseball League) would be joined by Muskegon (Mich.) and Spooner (Wis.) to round out the five-team bracket, but when the latter two dropped from the pool last week, just three CSBL teams were left to bid for a trip to the Stan Musial World Series at Farmingdale State University (N.Y.).
And in a double-elimination tournament, each game is significant. With a bye in the first round, the Cats rested while Addison and Westmont played on Thursday night. The Braves dropped a 6-1 result.
Oswego and Westmont are now set for two games on Saturday afternoon. If necessary, the teams will also play on Sunday for the World Series bid.
It is expected that right-handers Loukota and Kendall Interial will take the ball for Oswego against Westmont, which lost a doubleheader to the Cats at Jackie’s Field of Dreams on July 18.
“Everything is magnified this time of year, so hopefully, we don’t come out too overconfident,” Cats field manager Todd Miller said. “The team we play (Saturday) is a lot better than the team we played (Friday).”
Catcher Kevin Robinson was responsible for their only score on Friday, with an RBI double in the first inning off of right-hander Cody Love. Love wasn’t perfect and needed to pitch around a few jams throughout the game, but he was effective, allowing four hits and four walks while fanning six in his outing.
Luckily, Oswego provided plenty of run support in the first inning. With shortstop Mike Rissley at first and two outs, first baseman Kevin Loukota legged out what should have been a routine groundout and ended up safe at first on a defensive mishap.
In the next at-bat, designated hitter Ryan O’Dell brought both runners home on a double. Then, third baseman Jose Camacho plated O’Dell on a long double to make it a 3-1 game.
“We played okay. I wouldn’t say great, but we did what we had to do,” Miller said. “We hit the ball, we put the ball in play, we took advantage of their mistakes, and that’s what you’ve gotta do.”
O’Dell continued his success at the plate in the second, muscling out another two-run double, while Camacho brought him in on a triple. Camacho then scored when catcher Mike Cherven reached on a miscue by the first and second basemen that put the hosts up 7-1.
Centerfielder Clay Schuler recorded an RBI on a sacrifice groundout in the third, and once O’Dell was hit by a pitch with one out and the bases loaded in the fifth, the game was called with the eight-run rule, which is implemented during the playoffs, in effect.
For Oswego, it was the second win in four days versus Addison. The Cats ended their regular season schedule with an 11-3 road victory over the Braves on Tuesday night.
Friday’s win, however, didn’t come without a price, as Camacho appeared to have injured his hand during his at-bat in the third. He left the game soon after, and his status for Saturday was unknown at press time.
Shortstop Trevor Lines, who injured his hamstring last Thursday in a game against La Barca remains day-to-day, as well, leaving the Cats without two key members of their infield. But they’re prepared to play without them, as Rissley has taken over at shortstop the last few games, and Steve Busby filled in for Camacho on Friday.
“We did what we had to do to get through it, but the bigger thing is to see how Jose is (on Saturday) morning,” Miller said. “We’re hoping it’s not anything serious, but it magnifies the absence of Trevor right now.
“That’s why you have them (the bench guys). They each have a solid amount of at-bats…they’ve all gotten playing time, and now is the time that you really gotta step up, and hopefully, we do. Injuries hurt, but we’ll get through it."
By LAURA M. MEDINA – sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats split with Romeoville
Squad takes .500 record into this week's AABC regional
In their last busy weekend of the regular season, the Oswego Cats split a doubleheader with the Romeoville Royals, winning the opener 8-3 and losing the nightcap 3-1, in Chicago Suburban Baseball League competition on Saturday afternoon at Jackie's Field of Dreams.
Oswego (14-13, 13-10) has had an inconsistent month leading up to the postseason, posting a 5-7 record in July and alternating wins and losses in the last six games. The team may have only taken one of two games in its latest outing, but it has three more games to straighten things out, including a doubleheader versus non-league opponent Team Acceleration on Sunday and the season finale against Addison on Tuesday night.
In Saturday's Game 1 victory, the visiting side struck first, picking up two quick runs in the first on a pair of RBI-doubles off of right-hander Cody Love. As for the Cats, they were kept off the board until the third, when first baseman Ryan O'Dell drew a bases-loaded walk.
Love settled down after a rough first, giving up just one hit over the next two innings. In the fourth, however, the Royals put together a two-out rally that scored center fielder Luke Wians, who had reached on a single, to make it 3-1.
But the Cats had their own two-out surge in the bottom of the frame, as consecutive hits by right fielder Bobby Smith (single) and catcher Chris Hill (single) eventually equaled two runs that came around to score on center fielder Clay Schuler's double to the right-field wall.
Those were just a few of the Cats' 15 hits in the first game, and there likely could have been more, particularly from Smith, who only recorded one hit in nine combined at-bats for the day. His efforts at the plate, though, were not lost on Cats field manager Todd Miller.
"He was on everything, he's put the ball in play and I'll take hard outs like that any day over watching his number walking back to the bench," he said.
With the game tied at 3, Love went back to work on the mound, throwing two more strong innings and pitching his way out of a few jams along the way. Love gave up nine hits and two walks, while striking out two in six innings of work. To support his efforts, Oswego added another two runs in the fifth, as second baseman Adam Lipscomb and left fielder Bailey Watros hit back-to-back RBI-singles.
In the sixth, third baseman Jose Camacho brought first baseman Kevin Loukota around on a long double, and Lipscomb and Watros again combined for consecutive run-scoring singles to put the home team ahead 8-3. Holding a substantial lead, the Cats sent Loukota out in the seventh, and he made quick work of the last three batters to preserve the victory.
For Game 2, Romeoville started things off in a similar scoring fashion, taking an early 1-0 lead off of right-hander Kelse Gengler, who was able to shut the opposition down over the next three innings, despite allowing five more hits in that stretch.
Gengler, though, ran into trouble again in the fifth, when two early singles eventually came around to score on consecutive at-bats to make it a 3-0 game. It would be his last inning of work before giving way to left-hander Andy Grunewald, who was stellar in relief, with just two hits allowed and two strikeouts called in the final two frames.
"We played pretty well," Miller said. "They got some bleeder hits. Kelse struggled with finding his location, and he admitted it. He couldn't hit his spots, but you know, he gave us five innings, and all three runs could've easily been outs in some of those (situations). We were a tough-luck loser there, but we'll win a lot of games only giving up three runs."
As for Oswego, it was unable to get its offense going against right-hander Andrew Bergmann, who was solid in his four innings of work. Right-hander Dalton Hottle came on in the bottom of the fifth, and while the home side was able to record five hits off of him in the last three innings, they were only able to push one across on Camacho on Lipscomb's double in the seventh, eventually making the 3-1 score final.
Lipscomb went a combined 6-for-7 with three RBIs on the afternoon, and while the Cats didn't come out with the win in game two, there were definite positives from Miller's perspective.
"It was fun to watch," Miller said. "We lost the second one, but you know what? We didn't give up. We were right there in the bottom of the seventh, and one hit and we're there. If either (catcher Mike Cherven) singles or Bobby singles there, it's 3-3, but we didn't die.
"(Romeoville) is a good team, with about the same record as us in the other division. This is their last game, so as far as we know it, the Royals are done, which is unfortunate because they're a good team, and they're fun to play."
Oswego will not see Romeoville in the postseason, but it will see familiar foes Addison and Westmont in the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Regional Tournament that starts Thursday at Jackie's Field of Dreams. The bracket has been reduced to three teams, with the loss of teams from Muskegon (Mich.) and Spooner (Wis.).
Westmont and Addison will play the double-elimination tournament's first game on Thursday, with the loser facing host Oswego on Friday. The other team will play the Cats on Saturday, and Miller expects a weekend of solid competition, as a bid to the Stan Musial World Series at Farmingdale State University (N.Y.) is on the line.
"Any of these teams could win," he said. "We haven't seen either of Addison's top two guys yet as far as their pitchers are concerned. We'll have our work cut out for us, and we have to hit.
"We've got a good mix of guys, but now we have to come together as a team. I mean, here it is. This is ours for the taking; it's being handed to us, and we have to take it. We have to absolutely take it."
Notes: Prior to Saturday's doubleheader, Oswego split a twinbill at Crystal Lake last Sunday afternoon, losing 5-1 and winning 12-3, and dropped a non-conference contest versus Chicago-based La Barca 4-0 on Thursday night. Game 2 was decidedly different, with Oswego talking charge with an eight-run first inning.
By LAURA M. MEDINA - sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats sweep weekend twinbill
Squad hits final schedule stretch before AABC Regional Tourney
With the regular season down to its final weeks, every game in the schedule is important for teams in the Chicago Suburban Baseball League. As such, the Oswego Cats took advantage of a league doubleheader, sweeping both ends 12-2 (five innings) and 2-1 against the Westmont Red Sox on Saturday afternoon at Jackie’s Field of Dreams.
With all of the hiccups Oswego (12-10, 11-8) has faced during the summer, it’s almost surprising to think that the team has already played 22 games. And heading into this week, it has eight possible games remaining, including six in the CSBL, before the American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) Regional Tournament that starts July 29 ahead of the Stan Musial World Series at Farmingdale State University (N.Y.) in August.
“We’ve got a lot to look forward to in the next couple of weeks,” Cats manager Todd Miller said.
With the tournament on the horizon, the Cats need to take care of every game they have. After a cancellation with Team Acceleration on Tuesday, they were able to schedule a non-conference contest with Chicago-based La Barca, which posted the 5-2 win. A washout against Joliet on Thursday, however, pushed the Cats’ next playing opportunity to Saturday’s twinbill.
Right-hander Cody Love took the ball for game one and was stellar through the first three scoreless innings, allowing just one base-runner in the second. As Love worked on the mound, his teammates took advantage of their offensive chances. Right fielder Bobby Smith drew a bases-loaded walk to score left fielder Bailey Watros in the first. In the third, shortstop Trevor Lines scored on a wild pitch to make it a 2-0 game.
Westmont cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth on right fielder Nino Guerrero’s single, but Oswego roared back with seven runs in the bottom portion of the inning. With the bases loaded, center fielder Clay Schuler and first baseman Kevin Loukota each hit back-to-back RBI-singles. Lines, who batted fourth in the frame, then scored on a wild pitch, as did Schuler. After getting the second out, right-handed starter Eann Cox walked the next two batters and faced another bases-loaded situation before he was spelled by right-hander Mason Maziarka.
Catcher Mike Cherven was the first to face the reliever, and he drove all three runners home on a double. Maziarka eventually ended things two runners later, but the damage had been done, and a 9-1 lead had been built by the home side.
Love gave up another run in the fifth – a sacrifice that brought third baseman James Battley home – but he didn’t dwell on it too much. When the Cats returned to the plate, they added three more runs, as Loukota brought Lines (1-for-2, three runs scored in game one) and third baseman Jose Camacho hammered out a two-run double that made it a 12-2 advantage and effectively ended the game.
“We scored some runs on some bad pitching,” Miller said. “They had a lot of walks and a lot of (opportunities) where they could have gotten out of innings. Their pitcher couldn’t find the zone, and we were patient enough to draw some walks and get some runners on. We kind of worked the guys around that game. I was hoping it would be a little more competitive, especially with the layoff. We need our guys to see pitches, to have good at-bats.”
With the first game ending early on the 10-run rule technicality, the Red Sox were hoping to be more aggressive in the second. Unfortunately for them, Cats right-hander Kelse Gengler was stellar on the mound, working quickly and pitching around tough situations.
His lone hiccup came in the third, when after striking out Brandon Collins, a dropped-third strike play allowed the batter to reach first. Collins eventually came around to score on center fielder Blake Kerzich’s single. Gengler stranded three more base-runners in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, but he still faced a 1-0 deficit heading into the bottom of the last frame.
After the Cats had been denied at the plate with just six hits against right-handed starter Benny Collesano, they were relieved to see right-hander Kevin Jacubauskas on the mound for the seventh. Jacubauskas struck out the first batter he faced, but he allowed a pinch-hit single to Ryan O’Dell and hit second baseman Adam Lipscomb in the next at-bat. Watros came in to run for O’Dell and scored on a single up the middle from Lines (3-for-4, RBI) for the 1-1 tie.
Schuler then drove in the game-clincher, singling to left to bring Lipscomb home to complete the doubleheader sweep in walk-off fashion.
“It all comes down to your approach at the plate,” Miller said. “You’ve got to have an idea of what you’re doing; you’ve got to know the situation. If you’ve got a guy at second and nobody out, you need to hit to the right side. It’s a baseball IQ thing, and that’s not going to solve itself over night. It’ll take playing for some of these guys to understand what to do in those situations.”
While the first game featured a bit more offense from the home side, it was the pitching that highlighted the twinbill. Love gave up three hits and struck out one in five innings in the game-one win, and Gengler gave up four hits and two walks, while racking up 10 strikeouts in his complete-game effort in the second game.
“Our pitching lately has been pretty good, especially from our starters. Kelse has been pushed into a starter’s role with some of the injuries we’ve had, but he’s responded, and he’s done well. This week, he was even better. Cody is just a bulldog. Unless his arm’s falling off or his head’s falling off, he’s going to go out there and battle. Our pitching is solid but we’ve just gotta hit the ball, and hopefully, we move in that direction.”
Notes: In a non-conference contest versus La Barca on Tuesday, the Cats lost 5-2. Lines was 2-for-4 with a run scored, and Smith was 2-for-3, while Schuler was 0-for-2 with an RBI. La Barca is under the direction of player-manager and Oswego High School alum Jesse Zaragoza, Jr., and the team features a number of former Panthers and Cats. Miller was hoping to schedule another game against La Barca this week. After Sunday’s doubleheader against Crystal Lake, Oswego will send Lines, Camacho and Kendall Interial to represent the CSBL’s team against the Metro League All-Stars on Tuesday night. The showcase starts at 7:30 p.m. at Judson University.
By LAURA M. MEDINA - sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats split with Chicago Angels
Squad maintains winning record, builds momentum into regional play
In a season of washouts, venue changes and schedule breaks, the Oswego Cats have managed to move past the distractions and rise above the .500 mark. They’re hoping their latest layoff was just another obstacle for them to overcome on their push to the postseason.
After taking a loss in their first game back after a seven-game respite, the Cats split a doubleheader with the Chicago Angels on July 11, winning the first game 5-3 and losing the second 5-1 at Jackie’s Field of Dreams in Chicago Suburban Baseball League competition.
Oswego (10-9, 9-8) had returned to action on July 9 for a first-time meeting with Naperville-based Team Acceleration. A win was not in the cards, however, and they came out of it with a 6-1 home defeat to their newest non-league opponent.
“Lackluster, low energy. It was a typical come back from vacation kind of game, where we were just not ready to play,” Cats field manager Todd Miller said. “There was no energy, no effort. It was just a very frustrating game to be involved in.
Oswego, though, did not dwell on the loss too much, and came out on Saturday with a renewed energy for Game 1 of the doubleheader against Chicago. Right-hander Cody Love took the ball, and while he gave up a run in the first inning on a single that scored shortstop Josh McKenna, he settled down in the next four, with just two singles allowed in that stretch.
Meanwhile, the Cats got to work at the plate in support of Love. The first inning was limited to shortstop Trevor Lines’ single, but the hits came in bunches in the second, as first baseman Javier Martinez III, right fielder Bobby Smith, catcher Mike Cherven and third baseman Mike Rissley each singled in the second. It was Rissley’s hit that brought in Martinez to knot things up at 1-1.
Martinez added another run in the third with a single to deep right field that scored Lines. After they were unable to score in the fourth, Martinez tacked on another run in the fifth, bringing center fielder Clay Schuler around with a single up the middle to make it 3-1. Martinez finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
Love faced a tough outing in the sixth, as a two-out rally – an RBI-double and an RBI-single – helped the Angels tie things up 3-3. But Oswego roared back in the bottom of the inning, as Schuler provided the game-winning offense, driving in two runs on a triple off of right-handed reliever Nick Drago, who spelled right-hander Jonathan Vlk in the fifth.
“We had a little bit of life today in the first game,” Miller said. “We had a big hit by Clay late to pick us up, and that was huge. We had a ton of chances to score, but we left the bases loaded I don’t know how many times, and we’ve got to get those runners in.”
Love, though, earned his first win since June 6, while the Cats won for the first time since a three-game streak from June 25-27.
Game 2 provided a decidedly different outcome than the twinbill opener. Right-hander Kelse Gengler was on the mound, and while he shut down Chicago in the first, he gave up two runs and three hits in the second to put the Angels ahead 2-1.
Gengler then pitched two perfect innings in the third and fourth, but he found trouble in the fifth with the bases loaded. He was able to record the next two outs, but a few defensive miscues during the next two players’ at-bats allowed three runs to score to make it 5-1 for the Angels (4-12), who are trying to work their way out of the cellar in the South Division.
Left-hander Andy Grunewald came on in the sixth and seventh, allowing a walk against the seven batters he faced for a strong relief effort, but it wasn’t enough to bring Oswego back, as its lone run came in the first after Lines’ scored on a wild pitch.
“We’re just not getting the timely hit,” Miller said. “We’ve got guys up and down the lineup that can hit, the starters as well as the bench guys. We know that, we’ve seen them do it, but it’s just that we’re not getting that hit when we need it, and it adds to the frustration a little bit.
“I know it will come; eventually, it’s going to. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
The Cats totaled four hits, two walks and a hit-by-pitch for their only offensive efforts in the game, keeping them in third place in the North, 2.5 games behind division-leading Crystal Lake (12-6) and Lombard (13-7).
Notes: Oswego sent infielder Jose Camacho (Waubonsee Community College), right-hander Dominick Tatone (Judson University) and left-hander Bailey Watros (Waubonsee Community College) to the College-Veteran All-Star Game at Madison Meadows in Lombard on July 8. Tatone and Watros each pitched one scoreless inning and Camacho knocked out one hit while playing third.
By Laura M. Medina - sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats roughed up in CSBL play
Crestwood scores five runs in second inning en route to 8-2 win
After a successful stretch last week, the Oswego Cats had a less than favorable outcome in its most recent game, falling 8-2 to the Crestwood Panthers on Thursday night at Jackie’s Field of Dreams in Chicago Suburban Baseball League competition.
Oswego (9-7, 8-7) entered the week having won five of its previous six contests, including three straight in which it had outscored opponents 29-3. In each of those victories, the Cats had allowed just one run per game, but they were a little more generous to the opposition in their latest outing.
Meanwhile, Crestwood, who scored a combined 18 runs in a doubleheader sweep at Addison on Wednesday night, jumped on Oswego early. It tallied a run in the first inning on an RBI double and added five more in the second off of right-handed starter Dominick Tatone (Judson University), who was roughed up for seven hits, six runs and three walks in his 1 1-3 innings of work.
Tatone made it through eight batters in the second before right-hander Kendall Interial (Waubonsee Community College) was called in for the final two outs. Interial was effective in his support role, surrendering just two runs – both coming in the fifth on RBI singles – and four hits, while fanning six in 3 2-3 innings.
“We had a rough start. Dom had a hard time locating the ball and throwing strikes, and we got behind early,” Cats field manager Todd Miller said. “We misplayed several balls in the field and made some throwing errors. It’s just frustrating (with) plays like that; it just kind of added to everything, with Dom having trouble with the strike zone and then, them getting hits.
“It takes the wind out of your sails when you’re down 6-0 like that. Kendall held them and gave up two runs. Other than (the first two innings), it’s a 2-2 game, or it’s a lot closer than that, but it’s just a little bit deflating.”
While the Panthers found a way to make contact at the plate, the Cats struggled to do so, managing six hits on the night despite a total of 33 during their three-game winning streak. On Thursday, their first run came in the third inning on a sacrifice fly from right fielder Bobby Smith (North Central College) that plated second baseman Adam Lipscomb (Aurora University).
Lipscomb added an RBI-single in the fourth inning against left-handed starter Matt Strzelczyk, who also pitched the Panthers to an 11-5 victory over the Cats in the teams’ respective season-opener on June 4.
“We didn’t hit well,” Miller said. “We had six hits, and we just didn’t get the hit when we needed it. (Strzelczyk) threw strikes, but I wasn’t a fan of the umpire’s) zone, and I know some of our hitters weren’t either, but you know, you can’t let that bother you, because he’s calling it both ways.”
Strzelczyk went seven strong innings, allowing those two runs and four hits, while walking four and fanning six. He was spelled by a pair of pitchers who conceded two hits to preserve the win.
The Cats’ relief staff was similarly effective, as left-hander Andy Grunewald (Park University), right-hander Austin Kapusinski (College of DuPage), left-hander Bailey Watros (Waubonsee Community College), and right-hander Kelse Gengler (North Central College) each tossed an inning, respectively, to end the game, surrendering one hit and one walk and striking out one as a group.
“Hopefully, we’ll shake it off and come back,” Miller said. “We had some chances to put runners on and get hits when we needed them, but (Thursday night) wasn’t our night unfortunately.”
With the win, Crestwood (10-5) solidified its grasp on second in the South and can continue to improve its stranglehold with a doubleheader versus the Westmont Red Sox on Sunday.
Oswego, however, dropped into third place in the North, 1.5 games behind division-leading Crystal Lake. The Cats will stay there for the time being, as they do not return to the diamond until July 9 against one of its newest opponents, Team Acceleration. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. at Jackie’s Field of Dreams.
“You really can’t (prepare differently); we just have to go out and play our game,” Miller said. “It’s similar to the Oak Lawn game, where we didn’t know what we were getting there. We’ve just got to concentrate and do the things that we do best. We need hit the ball, we need to field the ball, and if we do that, and our pitching is good, we’re going to be in every game.
“(Thursday night), it wasn’t there. We made too many physical mistakes, and we weren’t hitting the ball, and it just adds up. It’s just frustrating. We really kind of needed this game to keep pace in the division. We’re all kind of bunched together anyway, but it would have really helped us.”
Notes: Oswego is expected to send two players to the College Veteran All-Star game at Madison Meadows in Lombard on Wednesday, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Following its game against Team Acceleration, the Cats will host the Chicago Angels for an afternoon doubleheader on July 11.
By LAURA M. MEDINA sports@kendallcountynow.com
Oswego Cats find consistency with strong CSBL play
Cats find consistency with five wins and strong CSBL league play
One of many the preseason goals that field manager Todd Miller had for the Oswego Cats was establishing consistency.
After several weeks of interruptions and scheduling, it appears they’re taking a step in the right direction, as they have won five of their last six games, with four of those victories coming in Chicago Suburban Baseball League competition.
Having had five rainouts to start the summer and a schedule that reflects the CSBL’s imbalance, Oswego (8-6) has had more days off than it planned. Plus, it had dropped five of the nine games it was able to play, preventing the team from establishing both steady playing time and ensuing wins.
As such, last week’s busy schedule of eight games in seven days came at a critical moment in the Cats’ season.
A pair of losses at Lombard on Sunday started that stretch, but it was followed up with a 15-5 win versus non-league opponent Oak Lawn on June 23 and a doubleheader split – a 2-0 win and a 7-6 loss – against the Orioles on June 24.
Last Thursday night, they visited the Addison Braves and came away with a 9-1 victory, and then, they wrapped things up with a twinbill sweep of the Homestead Ranchers, 11-1 and 9-1, on Saturday afternoon to move within a half-game of North-leading Lombard.
While the Orioles had four games scheduled – results were unknown at press time – before Oswego returned to Jackie’s Field of Dreams on Thursday against Crestwood, the Cats have put themselves in a strong position to continue moving up in the CSBL standings.
To get to second place in the North, the Cats had to take advantage of last week’s competition, starting with their first-ever meeting with Oak Lawn, a member of the Southwest Inter-League Association with a 10-1 record entering last Tuesday’s game.
“We fell behind early and were down 5-0,” Miller said. “Our starter (right-hander Ryan Millan) had a little tendinitis in his right elbow, and it flared up on him. He wasn’t himself, so we brought (right-hander Dominick Tatone) in, and he held them scoreless for his outing.”
Oak Lawn’s five-run lead came over the first three innings versus Millan (Elmhurst College), who gave up six hits, hit a batter and struck out three in his outing. Tatone (Judson College) came on in relief for the next four innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while fanning three.
Left-hander Bailey Watros (Waubonsee Community College) pitched a perfect ninth to seal the win for Oswego, which took a 7-5 lead in the fourth inning and racked up 19 hits on the night. The team tacked on two more runs in the fifth, a run in the seventh and five in the eighth.
Javier Martinez III (College of DuPage) went 2-for-5, and Jeff Tucker (Edgewood College) hit 3-for-5, but each had three RBIs. Adam Lipscomb (Aurora University) went 4-for-4, and Jose Camacho (Waubonsee Community College) batted 1-for-4 with two RBIs apiece, while Bobby Smith (North Central College) went 3-for-4 with an RBI.
“We swung the bats pretty well, we were moving guys, we were situational, we were doing some hit and runs, we had some steals, we were able to execute, and we were able to put things together,” Miller said.
“Other than Ryan (Millan) kind of struggling, our pitching held up, and we were okay. It was nice to see the bats come alive, and even at the end of the game, where we were getting other guys in, they were getting on base. It all goes back to have guys being ready when they’re called upon to contribute.”
Oswego carried Tuesday’s momentum into the twinbill with Lombard, which swept the teams’ doubleheader on Sunday (June 21) 7-5 and 9-8. Just as the previous meeting featured a pair of close games, Wednesday’s matchup was just as tight.
Right-hander Brandon Thielk (University of Arizona) tossed a three-hitter, walking two and striking out eight along the way, while Martinez had a hit and two RBIs in the second to highlight game one’s 2-0 result.
“In the first game, neither team hit, but the pitching was pretty good,” Miller said. “Brandon was on, and it’s fun to watch him throw. First-pitch strike almost every time, and that just changes the count immensely.”
Game 2 was decidedly tougher for the Cats, both on the mound and at the plate, as they trailed 6-1 after six innings. The Orioles added another in the top of the seventh before the hosts rallied for five runs in the bottom of the frame.
Left-hander Andy Grunewald (Park University) struggled in 3 2-3 innings, allowing five runs (four earned), seven hits including a home run and three walks for the Cats, whose offense didn’t awaken until the fifth inning, when Smith recorded their first hit.
Oswego’s best inning came in the seventh against right-handed reliever Alex Hitney, who surrendered five runs and one hit and also issued five walks in his 2-3 innings of work.
O’Dell went 2-for-4 with three RBIs after hitting a two-out, bases-clearing double to bring the -Cats within one before the final 7-6 outcome.
“Andy got off to a rough start,” Miller said. “He struggled a little bit, but he’s getting there. We put the pieces together as we needed, but we didn’t hit the ball well.
“It was nice to get a comeback on and put ourselves in a position where one hit could (make the difference). We were right there, we were knocking on the door, and Ryan gave us a big hit up there. We battled, and they helped us out with the walks, but the same thing happens to us sometimes.”
Despite ending Wednesday with a loss, the Cats wrapped up the rest of the week on the highest of swings. They not only scored a combined 29 times, but they also allowed single runs in each of those three games. Additionally, they preserved the bullpen, as their three starters in that span went the distance – just as Miller was hoping that they would.
“I think that’s the way we’re going to approach (our pitching), and it might not appease everyone, but other than a few guys out of the ‘pen, we’ve struggled,” he said. “You can see we’re making strides, but then we slip a bit. We’re getting there though.”
Oswego hosts Crestwood on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and does not return to the diamond until Thursday against Team Acceleration.
Notes: On Saturday against Addison, Oswego hammered out 10 hits in support of right-hander Kendall Interial (Waubonsee Community College), who pitched a one-hitter – and allowed four walks - with nine strikeouts in his first start of the season.
Smith went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run, and O’Dell (1-for-4) also homered with two RBIs. Meanwhile, Schuler went 2-for-4 with two RBIsfor the Cats, who led 2-1 after five innings before putting together a seven-run ninth en route to the 9-1 win.
In Saturday’s doubleheader sweep of Homestead, Oswego provided plenty of offense for two strong pitching performances. In game one, they scored five in the third inning and three each in the fifth and sixth. The Ranchers’ lone run came in the fourth off of right-hander Tom Ozlanski (Aurora University), who surrendered a run and four hits, walked four and hit two batters while striking out two in the complete-game effort.
Lipscomb went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Schuler went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs for the Cats, who muscled out 11 hits in the 11-1 win.
Game 2 featured 12 hits for Oswego, which tallied in each of the first three innings – three, two and four runs, respectively – before Homestead’s only score in the seventh.
Schuler and Tucker (two runs) each batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Watros and O’Dell each went 1-for-2 with an RBI apiece behind right-hander Kevin Loukota (Northeastern Illinois University), who gave up a run and five hits, as well as five walks and a hit batter, while also striking out five in seven innings of work.
