Sports
Baseball: Naperville North Bounced by Plainfield North
Plainfield North 10, Naperville North 0 (5 inn.). Tigers rough up Huskies starter Brennan McClung for eight runs; Sean Renzi throws one-hitter in shortened game.
The Huskies got into an early hole against the Plainfield North Tigers. Tigers pitcher Sean Renzi made certain they never got out in a 10-0 game that lasted only five innings.
“We’re a really young team and our pitching staff didn’t have any innings last season,” Huskies coach Carl Hunckler said.
The pitching inexperience was on display early as Huskies starter Brennan McClung struggled to gain momentum. Renzi was an offense catalyst, with a two-run double in the top of the first. Four batters scored later on a two-run single by first baseman Pat Cashman.
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After a scoreless second inning, the Tigers (3-0) were at it again in the third. McClung gave up three straight singles to load the bases for leadoff man Evan Whaley, who hit a bases-clearing double deep to left-center field.
That was it for McClung, who only lasted 2 1/3 innings, giving up eight runs on 10 hits.
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Unfortunately for the Huskies (0-2), relief pitcher Brock Borgeson also struggled. He managed an RBI ground-out to make it 8-0 before walking Renzi. After a poor defensive play by third baseman Mariano Long that put runners on second and third, Borgerson threw a wild pitch to make it 9-0.
An RBI single by second baseman Caleb Kissel in the fourth increased the score to 10-0 and brought the game into slaughter-rule territory. First baseman Alex Moss took the mound in the fifth and pitched a scoreless frame.
Renzi made sure the Huskies hitters had no chance at the plate. He allowed three base runners the entire game and gave up one hit in the contest.
“He (Renzi) wasn’t 10-0 last season for nothing," Hunckler said. "He didn’t have an ERA under one last season for nothing. He’s a great pitcher.”
The Huskies struggled at the plate and in the field, committing two errors and making mental mistakes that allowed the first and third innings, in particular, to last longer than they should have, which is emblematic of the team’s youth.
“We have 21 guys on the team and in the first two games this season we’ve played 17 of them,” Hunckler said. “It’s more about trying to find out what works for us and what doesn’t, but I’m not overly concerned at this point.”
The Huskies play Glenbard West at home Thursday.
