The Hinsdale Central Red Devils supported strong pitching performances by Eric Binder, Ricky Berdelle and Nick Kurash with 11 runs on 11 hits in the dominating victory over the Naperville Central Redhawks.

Binder was the starting pitcher for the Red Devils throwing three strong innings.  Binder faced 13 batters and gave up 1 unearned run and 2 hits.  He struck out 4 batters while mixing a wicked curve and change-up with spot fastballs.

Although the offense started slowly, it exploded for 3 runs in the bottom of the second inning.  With 2 outs, Brett Morse and Doug Pilcher hit consecutive singles and Colin Cimala doubled to the right-centerfield wall driving in Morse for the Red Devils’ first run.  Mark Noth then doubled down the right field line to score Pilcher and Mike Grzelakowski, who was pitch-running for Cimala.  In the bottom of the third inning, the Red Devils increased their lead to 5-1 by adding 2 runs. Dustin Reznicek led off the inning with a single and Andrew Nicholas then reached base on an error.  Colin Cook then singled, driving in Resnicek.  Nicholas later scored on a wild throw.

Berdelle came into pitch in the top of the fourth inning and completely stifled the Redhawks.  In two innings, Berdelle faced only 7 batters, giving up 0 hits and 0 runs.  One Redhawk batter reached base on an error.  Berdelle kept the Redhawks’ batters completely off balance with his offspeed pitches and pin-point accuracy.

The Red Devils scored 1 run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Noth doubled down the left field line and scored when Connor Lind hit a towering triple to the centerfield wall.  The Red Devils then scored 3 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 9-1.  Morse reached base on an error and Pilcher singled.  Cimala then drove Morse home.  After Noth reached base on an error, Nicholas singled, driving in Grzelakowski (who was again pitch-running for Cimala) and Noth.

In the top of the sixth inning, Kurash came in to pitch in relief of Berdelle.  Using a dominating fastball and an “off-the-shelf” curveball, Kurash struck out 2 of the 4 batters he faced and gave up 0 runs and a bloop single.

The Red Devils scored the final 2 runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Cook reached base on an error and Pilcher reached base on a walk.  Cook then scored when the Redhawks’ shortstop made an error.  The final run occurred when Noth singled scoring Pilcher.

On the day, Noth was 3 for 4, with 2 doubles and 3 rbi’s.  Pilcher was 2 for 3 and Nicholas and Cimala each had 2 rbi’s for the Red Devils.