http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com Latest news from the Chicago Sun-Times - High School Sports en-us webmaster@suntimes.com (Editor) Newspapers http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/csp/cms/sites/YourSeason/assets/img/logo.gif http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com 84 34 30 Copyright 2013
York’s River Pitlock made sure the Oak Park-River Forest bats were about as cold as the day was hot Tuesday. Pitlock pitched a two-hitter as the Dukes won 7-0 over the Huskies in the Fenwick Regional quarterfinals of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association state tournament. York continued its diamond mastery over Oak Park with the victory — the fourth time … ]]> Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:58:01 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/6604704-393/york-shuts-out-oak-park-again.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/6604704-393/york-shuts-out-oak-park-again.html Nick Kowalczuk and Keith Lehmann have battled against each other several times as West Suburban Silver rivals. Now that they have decided to go to college together, the senior infielders might become roommates. Lehmann, the ace of Lyons’ pitching staff and a third baseman, verbally committed August14 to play for Michigan in 2014. Kowalczuk, a first baseman and cleanup hitter, committed to … ]]> Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:24:00 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/14621293-393/story.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/14621293-393/story.html With Maine West’s Crosley Duckmann on the pond, cousin Geoff Duckmann sent him flying home with the eventual winning run in the 13th inning for a 5-4 marathon victory over Oak Park-River Forest Wednesday in a Fenwick Regional semifinal of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Summer Classic state tournament. The Warriors will face Lyons at 2 p.m. Thursday for the … ]]> Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:15:27 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13878436-393/baseball-maine-west-puts-away-oak-park-river-forest-in-13-innings.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13878436-393/baseball-maine-west-puts-away-oak-park-river-forest-in-13-innings.html
Not much came easily this season for Oak Park-River Forest’s baseball team. And it was a struggle at times on Saturday night for Zach Weigel and Michael Brennan. But all of their stories had a happy ending at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. Oak Park, which finished third in the West Suburban Silver, won its first state title since 1981, beating league … ]]> Sat, 09 Jun 2012 22:07:41 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13089726-393/baseball-michael-brennans-hit-wins-class-4a-state-title-for-oak-park-river-forest.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13089726-393/baseball-michael-brennans-hit-wins-class-4a-state-title-for-oak-park-river-forest.html A month ago, it would have been hard to predict whether Stewart Nelson and Danny Shinsako would be receiving any playing time in the postseason. But given the strange nature of baseball, the former role players were starting at shortstop for Lyons and Oak Park-River Forest in the Class 4A state tournament Friday and Saturday. It seemed appropriate Saturday that each player … ]]> Sat, 09 Jun 2012 21:34:42 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13088672-393/baseball-shortstops-get-opportunities-in-state-final.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13088672-393/baseball-shortstops-get-opportunities-in-state-final.html
Oak Park-River Forest lived on the edge during its run to the Class 4A state semifinals, winning a string of narrow contests. On Friday, the Huskies gave themselves some wiggle room, putting the pressure on upstart Grant early en route to an 8-2 victory at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. The win sends Oak Park (29-9-1) to the Class 4A state championship … ]]> Fri, 08 Jun 2012 20:27:31 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13066765-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-cruises-past-grant-in-state-semi.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/13066765-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-cruises-past-grant-in-state-semi.html
Barely a half-hour after beating Highland Park to win the Class 4A Rockford Supersectional Monday, Oak Park-River Forest coach Chris Ledbetter knew who his starter would be for Friday’s state semifinal. Ledbetter’s choice, senior right-hander Joe McKune, is better known as one of OPRF’s top golfers during the fall. He was the Huskies’ No. 3 scorer in the Class 3A state meet … ]]> Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:29 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12998922-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-names-joe-mckune-as-fridays-starting-pitcher.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12998922-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-names-joe-mckune-as-fridays-starting-pitcher.html ROCKFORD — Junior Nick Kowalczuk does whatever he can for his senior teammates. On Monday, it took a base hit from Oak Park-River Forest’s slugging first baseman to propel the Huskies to their 13th state tournament appearance. Kowalczuk delivered in the clutch in the bottom of the sixth inning when his one-out double down the third-base line scored Zach Weigel with the … ]]> Mon, 04 Jun 2012 22:56:50 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12980367-393/baseball-nick-kowalczuks-hit-sends-oak-park-river-forest-into-state-semis.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12980367-393/baseball-nick-kowalczuks-hit-sends-oak-park-river-forest-into-state-semis.html Joe McKune did his best to block out all the distractions Saturday at Evanston. Even after surrendering three runs in the bottom of the sixth, including a two-run homer, the Oak Park-River Forest senior pitcher stayed strong enough to help the Huskies to a 10-8 win over Maine South and the program’s first sectional championship since 2008. McKune came on in relief … ]]> Sat, 02 Jun 2012 18:54:06 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12938962-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-holds-on-beats-maine-south.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12938962-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-holds-on-beats-maine-south.html Oak Park-River Forest came back from a seven-run deficit to beat New Trier 8-7 on Nick Kowalczuk’s walk-off RBI-single in a Class 4A Evanston Sectional semifinal on Friday. Jack Picchiotti’s three-run home run highlighted the Huskies five run sixth that pulled Oak Park within 7-5 off New Trier southpaw Nick Hedge (6 IP, 5 runs, 9 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts). The … ]]> Fri, 01 Jun 2012 22:57:18 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12923756-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-rallies-late-to-beat-new-trier.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12923756-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-rallies-late-to-beat-new-trier.html Pitchers dominated the day as host Oak Park-River Forest edged Evanston 2-1 to take the Class 4A Regional title Saturday. The No. 2-seeded Huskies (26-9-1) used RBI ground outs by Nick Kowalczuk and Alex Rice in the fourth to score Zach Weigel and Jack Picchiotti. Weigel and Picchiotti singled the first hits off Evanston starter Jordan Crawford (6 IP, 3 hits, 6 … ]]> Sat, 26 May 2012 17:01:24 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12792843-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-edges-evanston-for-regional-title.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12792843-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-edges-evanston-for-regional-title.html Zach Lewis allowed only four hits and Kevin Smith drove in three runs to lead No. 3 St. Laurence to a 6-1 victory Thursday over Oak Park-River Forest in the first Do It Stevie’s Way tournament in Joliet. Only two other teams have kept Oak Park-River Forest to one or less runs this season. Zach Lewis added St. Laurence to the list … ]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 20:42:39 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12605331-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-falls-at-bajenski-tournament.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12605331-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-falls-at-bajenski-tournament.html In the opening game of a double-header to start the Steven Bajenski tournament, players from St. Laurence and Oak Park-River Forest came together to honor Steve Bajenski at second base at Silver Cross field in Joliet on Thursday. After the No. 3 Vikings’ Barndon Mallder started the game with a pop-up to third, both benches cleared and gathered at second base. All … ]]> Thu, 17 May 2012 22:37:32 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12605048-393/baseball-st-laurence-tops-oak-park-river-forest-in-bajenski-tournament.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12605048-393/baseball-st-laurence-tops-oak-park-river-forest-in-bajenski-tournament.html In a battle between ace pitchers, it was Lyons’ Matt Robare who outdueled Oak Park-River Forest’s Zach Weigel. The pitchers entered the game with one combined loss, but Robare proved to be unbeatable as Lyons increased its lead in the West Suburban Silver to three games in the loss column with a 4-2 victory Friday in Western Springs. Robare (7-1) allowed only … ]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 19:28:12 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12477537-393/baseball-matt-robare-lifts-lyons-over-oak-park-river-forest.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/12477537-393/baseball-matt-robare-lifts-lyons-over-oak-park-river-forest.html It might be hard to decide just who had the better game for Oak Park-River Forest Saturday. Sophomore designated hitter Alex Rice smacked the first home run of his career in the first game against visiting Hinsdale Central and then responded with a grand slam in the second game to finish with seven RBI on the day. The No. 3 Huskies swept … ]]> Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:19:54 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/11909702-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-sweeps-hinsdale-central.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/11909702-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-sweeps-hinsdale-central.html Even role players are contributing for No. 4 Oak Park-River Forest. The Huskies, who won five consecutive games to open the season, continue to find ways to win. On Thursday, a pair of substitutes came off the bench to make a major impact for OPRF. Junior Charlie Fencik made his first varsity at-bat a memorable one when his sixth-inning single drove in … ]]> Thu, 05 Apr 2012 23:06:13 CST http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/11744531-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-edges-downers-south.html http://highschoolsports.suntimes.com/schools/oakpark/baseball/11744531-393/baseball-oak-park-river-forest-edges-downers-south.html