Split decision

Despite getting drilled in the second game of its doubleheader, Hinsdale Central's baseball team was able to draw a split from host Lyons Township Saturday in Western Springs.

The Red Devils went down 14-2 in the second contest, but used three LT errors in Game 1 to win 6-3 and split the West Suburban Conference Silver Division twinbill.

In claiming victory, the Red Devils made use of an error from LT pitcher Kyle Corcoran in the first inning on a bunt attempt from Brett Morse. Instead of being the third out of the inning, Morse wound up being the second Red Devil (16-2, 6-2 in the WSS) to cross the plate in the inning as Andrew Nicholas and Colin Cimala helped Hinsdale Central build a 3-0 lead after a half-inning.

Nicholas and Tobi Adeymi both singled to lead off the second inning, and Mark Noth brought them both in with a three-run home run that gave the Red Devils a 6-0 lead after two innings.

Casey Ourada did the rest, throwing a complete-game 10-hitter. He left the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings and stranded 14 LT runners overall.

"In the first game, we played our type of game," Red Devils coach Tom Dorrance said. "LT is a good little team and they gave us the first three runs. We were able to build a 6-0 lead and Casey did the rest from there.

"At the beginning of the game we took advantage of their mistakes and our guys had some good at-bats.

Ourada gave up two runs in the third and one more in the sixth, but only two of them were earned.

Noth only had one hit on the game, but he made it count, while Nicholas was 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Brett Suchy also had an RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning.

However, in the second game, it was all LT (15-4, 9-2) as it pounded out 13 hits and scored eight times in the fourth to turn a 6-1 game into a rout.

The Lions scored once in the second and put five more on the board in the third off a two-run homer from Grant Fillipitch, then sent 13 batters to the plate in scoring eight times in the fourth.

"I don't know what happened in the second game," Dorrance said. "They put some pressure on us. They ran on us, they hit and I tip my cap to them, they kicked our butts."

The Red Devils only had three hits in the second game with Cimala, Suchy and Drew Bailey getting hits. Bailey's was a double and he would score on a wild pitch in the top of the fifth. Hinsdale Central's other run came when Cimala drove in Morse with a single in the top of the fourth inning.

The rubber game of the series came Tuesday in Hinsdale, and Dorrance was hoping his squad could take two of three from the Lions.

"Obviously, that's a big game. If they beat us they're in the driver's seat in the conference, and if we win we'll (be ahead of LT). With a team like that, you have to play your game. It will be a good game."