Summer Baseball: L-W West Survives Romeoville's Two Rallies

Touching All the Bases: The way the game started, it didn't appear that Lincoln-Way West would need late-inning heroics to notch a 9-8 victory over Romeoville during Monday's opening-round game in the 2011 IHSBCA Phil Lawler Summer Classic.

The Warriors scored their first two runs without getting the ball out of the infield and would go on to take a 5-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI bunt single from Ryan Clavenna, a Texas Leaguer from Dan Brokop and a two-run double off the center field fence off the bat of catcher Jake O'Leary.

Romeoville chipped away though, tying the game at 5-5 with a run in the top of the sixth. The Warriors answered with a three-run bottom of the sixth. Luke Morgan got things started with a single. He moved to second on O'Leary's sacrifice bunt and on to third on John Hayes' bunt single. After Adam Slattery walked to load the bases, Kopp hit a hopper down to the third baseman who fired wildly at home to allow two runs to score. Frank Becker would get hit by a pitch later in the inning to make it 8-5.

But Romeoville rallied in the top of the seventh, tying the game on a questionable safe call at third base with the bases loaded, which brought home the tying run. The Warriors escaped further damage and won in the seventh. O'Leary was hit by a pitch with one out and pinch-runner Jake Brun moved to second on Hayes' single. After Slattery was robbed on a diving catch by the right fielder, Kopp hammered a single up the middle to give the Warriors the victory.

Patch’s MVP: Jake O'Leary went 1-for-2. He doubled home two runs, helped Lincoln-Way West rally with a sacrifice bunt and was hit by pitch in the bottom of the seventh, scoring what proved to be the winning run. Furthermore, O'Leary battled 90-degree weather and humidity while handling the catching duties.

Lincoln-Way West Leaders: Adam Slattery went 2-for-4 with two runs and reached base three times. John Hayes went 2-for-4 and Tyler Kopp reached base three times and added a sacrifice bunt.

Romeoville Leaders: Vidal Gonzalez went 3-for-3 with a two-run home run and Nolan Allee went 3-for-4.

Quotable I: Lincoln-Way West's Tyler Kopp on delivering the game-winning hit: "I was just thinking, 'Hit the ball.' After they came back, I just wanted to put the ball in play to give us a chance to win."

Quotable II: Lincoln-Way West coach Jake Zajc on the summer tournament victory. "It was good to get in a playoff atmosphere and be tight in there. You learn a lot about a team in a game like this. We had a big hit by a kid and a pitcher come in and get us out of a jam. It was good to see guys rise to the occasion."

Quotable III: Romeoville coach Mike Skroch on rallying: "We've struggled this summer and just this last week started playing well. They showed that by coming back from 5-0 and then tying it with three in the top of the seventh, but just didn't get it done."

Team Records: Lincold-Way West 12-7; Romeoville: 5-11.

What’s Next: Lincoln-Way West later dropped a 4-1 decision to Sandburg and was ousted from regional play. Romeoville's summer season is over, too.