Reggie Stevens belted a two-run homer and two St. Charles pitchers combined for a four-hitter as the Saints edged Plainview 4-2 in a Three Rivers Conference baseball game Friday at St. Charles.
St. Charles improved to 8-0 as pitchers Paul McKay and Mike Kohn combined on the mound for the win. McKay (2-0), a junior left-hander, pitched six innings for the win and allowed two unearned runs.
The Saints pitchers countered a strong pitching performance by Plainview's Todd Randall, who tossed a complete-game four-hitter and struck out 13.
"I think the key so far has been our pitching, and defense has been consistent," said St. Charles coach Roger Schoenfelder. His Saints finished 22-5 last season and played in the Section 1AA finals against Lourdes.
"We've had some juniors really start off playing well, but our six seniors are definitely leading," he added.
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Stevens gave St. Charles the lead in the second inning with an opposite-field two-run homer down the right field line. Stevens' third homer of the season cleared the fence at about 335 feet.
Stevens went 2-for-3 to raise his season average near .600. McKay was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. For Plainview, Brad Swancutt had two hits and one RBI.
HIAWATHA VALLEY LEAGUE
Winona Cotter 7, Byron 4
Andy Biesanz went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and teammate Matt O'Brien was 2-for-4 on a pair of doubles, with three RBIs and three runs scored. Biesanz also pitched the entire seven innings, striking out 10 and allowing six hits. Byron had seven hits as Adam Schroeder went 3-for-4, and Adam Linbo was 2-for-4. Starting pitcher Jeremy Erdmann went the distance and took the loss, yielding 11 hits.
Zumbrota-Mazeppa 6, Hayfield 3
Kyle Frederixon hit and pitched Z-M to the win in Zumbrota. He was 2-for-3 with a home run and he threw all seven innings, striking out seven and allowing five hits and no walks. Andy Rude and Zach Brown each had two hits for the Cougars.
Kenyon-Wanamingo 2,
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Kasson-Mantorville 1
Trevor Floren took over the pitching duties in the seventh inning with none out, and K-M batters on first and second. Floren then got three straight outs, the last two by strikeout. Kirby VanDewalker was the winning pitcher.
K-M had plenty of chances to get the win, but stranded nine baserunners in scoring position. It also failed to take advantage of six K-W errors. Losing pitcher was Jeff Schmidt. He went six innings and allowed both runs.
NON-CONFERENCE
Glenville-Emmons 6, Rushford-Pete. 3
Glenville-Emmons 9, Rushford-Pete. 3
Glenville-Emmons had 14 hits in the first game, including a two-run home run by Matt Learn in the sixth inning in Rushford. R-P had five hits in the second game, and G-E had seven. It was the Trojans' fourth game in two nights.
