Baseball: Streamwood flips power switch in win against Larkin
Updated: May 3, 2012 12:19AM
When Alex Morrow drilled a pitch onto the track well beyond the fence in left field Wednesday, it was a good sign for Streamwood on many fronts.
Not only was the home run the first of the season for Morrow, but it was also the first round tripper in 25 games this year for the Sabres as a team. Additionally, the two-run blast in the in the bottom of the first seemed to set the tone for Streamwod as it slugged its way to a 9-2 Upstate Eight River win against visiting Larkin.
Leadoff man Richie Gorski also showed some pop by connecting for a pair of doubles to deep center while finishing 2-for-4 with three RBI. Starting pitcher Dalton Lundeen got in on the act too with an RBI double to deep center as the Sabres showed signs they might be ready to power up for the stretch run of the season.
“Finally we got guys swinging the bat hard and hitting the ball hard, and when you do that good things happen,” Streamwood coach Steve Diversey said. “Hopefully the confidence from today can keep going for the next two or three weeks for us.”
Streamwood (9-16, 5-11) scored two runs in the first, two in the second, two in the fourth and three in the fifth. That was more than enough support for Lundeen (4-3), who was effective in his first start since signing with Valparaiso last week.
The lefty struck out eight, walked two, hit two batters and limited the Royals to three hits during six innings. Larkin (7-15, 4-10) scored an unearned run in the top of the first and an earned run in the second but couldn’t get much going the rest of the way against Lundeen, who said his team’s offensive outburst provided a boost.
“When you see guys hitting the ball hard you get a lot of confidence as a pitcher,” Lundeen said. “You know if you go out and do your job, you’re going to come back in the dugout and we’re maybe going to put a couple more on the board.”
Mike Murawski and Mike Smith both scored a pair of runs and Brandon Larkin-Guilfoyle had an RBI for Streamwood.
Pete Lennard went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead the way at the plate for the Royals, who lost for the eighth time in nine games.
Senior Kyle Newquist (2-2) took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out three but walked seven and uncorked two wild pitches.
“We just didn’t throw enough strikes early in the count,” Larkin coach Matt Esterino said. “We had to lay some fastballs in there and (Streamwood) hit them hard.”
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