Wojcik, Elk Grove bats too much for Prospect

Starting Derek Wojcik for Elk Grove's Cook County American Legion opener could have been viewed by some as risky business.

But the Elk Grove right-hander bore no resemblance to a kid who hasn't pitched a varsity high school game and just finished his sophomore year at Conant.

Wojcik got his first five outs on strikes and finished with 10 strikeouts in 7 innings as second-seed Elk Grove (32-4) rolled to a 13-3 victory in 8 innings over No. 7 Mount Prospect (7-19) on Tuesday at Prospect High School.

"After the first batter I got confident," Wojcik said of a 3-pitch strikeout. "I started feeling better and Dave (Drew) made some good calls behind the plate."

Drew was one of four Red Sox to have 3 hits in a 19-hit attack that put them in today's 4 p.m. second-round winner's bracket game at Prospect against No. 3 Wilmette (36-6), a 9-1 winner over Evanston.

Wojcik primarily used a fastball and curveball and later mixed in more changeups to throw 74 of his 116 pitches for strikes. He gave up 6 hits and 2 walks.

"He came out firing ... and he attacked hitters all day," said Elk Grove coach Brian Mucha.

"It was the best I've ever seen him throw," Drew said. "It was pretty amazing. Very impressive."

Ryan O'Gara blasted a 2-run homer in the third, and doubles by Dan Horwitz and Andrew LaLuz in the fourth got Prospect within 6-3.

But 6 errors by Prospect led to 7 unearned runs off Carthage-bound starter Tim Keyes and Walt Zawlocki.

"If you could script our season any better it's today's game," said Prospect coach Dan Aloisio. "Basic fundamental plays and we're not making them."

Wojcik got plenty of support from his bats and defense. Center fielder Ryan Power made a spectacular diving catch near the fence in right-center to start the fifth and Kyle Sallmen ended it by throwing out a runner at the plate.

Sallmen, Kevin Osmanski and Jon Mueller also had 3 hits and Grant Monroe had a 2-run triple in a 4-run first. Drew drove in 3 runs, Joey Zubrus was 2-for-5 with an RBI double and Chris D'Angelo had a 2-run single.

"That made me settle in and focus on throwing strikes instead of trying to overpower everything," Wojcik said of getting an early lead.

"This was probably our best hitting day in the past week," Drew said. "We hit the cages hard this weekend."

Will Osmanski will start today for Elk Grove while Prospect will start Rhombus Harloff in today's 4 p.m. elimination game against Evanston at Maine East.

Arlington 9, Cicero 2: Top-seed and defending state champ Arlington (35-8) actually fell behind in the third to Cicero at Rec Park.

"It got a little scary," said Arlington coach Lloyd Meyer. "This guy was a good pitcher."

But Arlington finally broke through in the fourth on an RBI single by Jason Ganek and Matt Serna's sacrifice fly. Tim Churchill and Ganek had 2-run singles in the fifth.

Winner Kyle Gaedele had 7 strikeouts in 7 innings. Trace Ruffie (10-0) will start at 4 p.m. today against No. 4 Palatine at Rec Park in Arlington Heights.

Palatine 12, Northbrook 2: Matt St. John tripled, doubled and had a 2-run single in the seventh to finish the 12th win in 13 games for No. 4 Palatine (24-13). Chad Treutler, who will start today, went 3-for-4, Ryan Shober had 2 hits, Kyle Lindsay had a 2-run single and winner Matt Gailey had a 2-run triple.

Gailey went 5 innings and Charlie Limjoco finished.

"Our pitchers did what they had to do and our defense was solid," said Palatine coach Jeff Ryder. "Every part of the game we needed to have happen did."

Wilmette 9, Evanston 1: Paul Duncan threw a 6-hitter with 11 strikeouts, Dan Pritz hit a 3-run homer, Chris Lashmet homered and Sam Franklin had 3 hits with a triple and a double for No. 3 Wilmette (36-6).