Huizinga delivers for Lincoln-Way East
Updated: March 31, 2011 4:02PM
Josh Huizinga came up with big hits all game for Lincoln-Way East. But none were bigger than his go-ahead RBI single in the seventh that led the Griffins to an 11-6 victory over host Romeoville on Wednesday.
The game was tied at 6 with two outs and pinch-runner Yoshie Haynie on third base. After taking the first two pitches for balls well out of the strike zone, Huizinga roped a 2-1 pitch into center field for the go-ahead run. The Griffins tacked on four more runs after the damage was done.
``I never thought they were trying to intentionally walk me,'' Huizanga said of the first two pitches. ``I've never been intentionally walked and they weren't going to start today.''
The Spartans (1-1) wouldn't be blamed if they had walked Lincoln-Way's designated hitter. He kept coming up with key hits in his 3-for-4, four-RBI performance. Huizinga knocked in Chris Scott with the first run of the game as the Griffins (3-2) jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead.
``Huizinga did a real nice job,'' Griffins coach Paul Babcock said. ``Getting two-out hits and RBIs gets you to heaven.''
Romeoville scored all six of its runs in the second. The Spartans chased starting pitcher Gavin Walsh who had given up a pair of runs and loaded the bases after an error kept the inning alive with two outs. Reliever David Garcia was greeted with a three-run triple by Jordan Pemble.
Garcia settled down after that inning to pitch four scoreless innings.
Trailing 6-2, the Griffins stormed back in the third inning to tie the game. Huizinga blasted a triple over the right fielder's head to drive in Cody Justus and Alec Ormelas after Scott had scored on a wild pitch.
Bobby Kosola tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Huizinga and the game remained tied till the seventh.
Kosola had two RBI and a run scored. Zach Jones threw out a base stealer and drove in a run. Dylan Pinto also had an RBI for the Griffins.
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