Varsity baseball sweeps double header over weekend

Coach Del Fava earns 450th career win

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AJ Shaw, Staff Writer

Saturday was a day of recognition for the Varsity baseball team, as they honored eight players on Senior Day, and their head coach, Ray Del Fava, for eclipsing the 450 win plateau after the Scouts beat Zion-Benton, 11-1, on Friday.

The Scouts made the day even more memorable after they went out and swept a doubleheader from a solid Whitney Young team and a very good Jones College Prep team.

The first game was a dominant performance from the Scouts, who won 7-0 behind the brilliant pitching of captain Peter Turelli.

Turelli struck out 12 batters over six shutout innings, tying a career-high set back in his sophomore year, and Brady Christoph got the final three outs in the top of the seventh inning to get the Scouts the victory.

“I was really energized from the ceremonies, so I knew I had to throw my best game to help the team out. I was happy to help my team out and get a win,” Turelli said.

The offense also played a major role for the Scouts, as Breck Nowik went 3 for 3 with three runs scored. Colton Pfeifer drove in three runs, and Turelli went 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI. Will Davis also chipped in with two hits.

The victory improved the Scouts record to 17-6, and improved Turelli’s overall record to 2-1 with a 3.20 ERA.

In the second game, the Scouts battled 15-5 Jones College Prep, and junior Matthew Birtman got the ball for the Scouts. Birtman struggled with his command and walked five hitters, but he finished with four strikeouts as well.

The Scouts scored four runs, three in the second, and one in the third to grab a 4-2 lead going to the top of the fourth inning, but after Birtman loaded the bases with nobody out, Robby Gray entered and surrendered three runs, but still found a way to work out of it and keep the deficit at one run.

The Scouts tied the game back up at five in the bottom of the fifth when Luke Nolan singled home Turelli after he doubled with two outs. But Jones reclaimed the lead in the next half-inning as Frank Kalemba singled to give Jones a 6-5 lead.

With their four-game winning streak on the line, the Scouts prevailed through the hardships, and in the bottom of the 6th scored four runs off Jones reliever Jaden Jones.

Luke Chlystek started the inning with a single, and then after Will Davis flew out, Michael Vallone doubled, and then Nowik, as he has done all season, came through, hitting a single to left to score Chlystek and then Vallone, after an error in left field.

The Scouts added two more on a double by Connor Morrison and a single by Colton Pfeifer. Christoph, who gave up a run in the sixth inning, got the final three outs in the seventh to pick up the win and give the Scouts their fifth straight victory.

The win improved the Scouts record to 18-6 and improved Christoph’s overall record to 3-1 on the season.

The Scouts now have a busy weekend of non-conference games ahead of them as they battle St. Viator today and Barrington on Saturday. Go Scouts!