Baseball: Keenan Kelly carries big stick for Maine South

Updated: April 17, 2012 6:40PM

Maine South senior baseball player Keenan Kelly swung the bat better than anyone else in Monday’s 12-2 win in five innings over Niles North, yet he finished without a hit.

Kelly, a third baseman/pitcher, ended up with two sacrifice flies, and another fly ball that was caught near the fence.

That didn’t go unnoticed by Hawks coach Bill Milano.

“If the wind wasn’t blowing, he would have had three home runs,” said the coach, whose club won for the eighth time in a row, improving to 12-3 overall and 3-0 in the Central Suburban South.

Through Monday’s game, Kyle Richardson was the only Hawk with a home run, and the University of Notre Dame-bound center fielder has three this spring.

Pat Aloisio got the victory Monday, improving to 5-0 overall. The Hawks boast four pitchers with at least two wins.

At the plate, Richardson went 3-for-3 with two RBI. Five other Hawks had two hits in the win.

“We are playing well right now,” Milano said. “We are limiting other team’s big innings, and we are starting to hit the ball a little bit. We are taking it one pitch and one game at a time. I know it’s cliché, but it’s working.”

If Kelly keeps playing the way he’s been playing, he might have some choices to make regarding college.

“He’s got the tools to play,” Milano said. “He throws hard, has good wheels. He spent the offseason getting bigger, stronger and faster. He’s hitting has improved immensely.”

Maine South earned its biggest win of the season against Highland Park, which owns wins over New Trier and Glenbrook South. The Hawks beat the Giants 4-1 on April 12 behind pitcher John Forsythe’s complete game. The senior struck out eight and allowed three hits.

Nick Mitrovich led the offense by going 3-for-3 with an RBI.

The Hawks followed with an 8-2 win over Prospect on Saturday. Mike Virgilio struck out six in seven innings to improve to 3-0.

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