About the only thing that slowed down a suddenly hot Lyons Township baseball team last week was a late bus.
Scheduled to pick up the Lions at 3 p.m. on Friday for a game at Glenbard West, the team’s transportation arrived 45 minutes tardy. Despite leading the Hilltoppers 4-1 in the third, the Lions’ trip to Glen Ellyn proved meaningless in the standings when the game was called due to rain.
“It was frustrating,” said LT coach George Ushela. “If the bus arrives on time we probably get that game in. Now, we have to make that game up this week and travel back out [to Glenbard West] which is one of our longer trips.”
The following day, LT (12-6, 6-3 West Suburban Silver Conference) made up for lost time by routing Proviso West 10-0 and 11-0 in a doubleheader sweep at the LT South Campus.
In the opening game, Brian Lorenz (.394 batting average) went 3-for-3 with a double and RBI, while C.J. Esposito, Chas Straface and Ryan McMillin chipped in two hits each. With the Lions posting seven runs on the board over the first four innings, LT starter Brian Lehman (1-1) picked up the win by working four innings, allowing two hits and striking out three.
In the second game, left-hander James Lesczynski gave up no hits and fanned four Panthers over three innings to earn the victory. Again, the Lions struck early and often, scoring a run in the first, three in the second, five in the third and two more in the fourth inning to roll to an 11-0 lead. McMillin, who is hitting .472 on the year, led the offensive onslaught with two hits and two RBIs. Mike Callaghan also had two knocks for LT.
“We’re pitching better,” Ushela said. “I also think we are playing better defense. We only had one error all day against Proviso West.”
Earlier last week, LT notched victories over Glenbard West (11-6 score), Downers North (4-3) and Willowbrook (10-7).
Against the Hilltoppers, LT put up four runs in both the first and second frames before Brian Trefil cranked a two-run homer to make it a 10-1 score at the end of three. Pounding out 12 hits as a club, Ed Viliunas (2-for-3, 3 RBIs), McMillin (3-for-4), Esposito (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) and Trefil (2-for-4) all enjoyed productive days at the plate.
Working seven innings and striking out eight, Esposito (4-0, 1.75 ERA) earned the win during the Lions’ 4-3 win over Downer Grove North.
On Thursday, the Lions rallied from a 4-2 deficit against Willowbrook by scoring five runs in the fourth to take a 7-4 lead. Holding an 8-4 advantage entering the sixth, Esposito iced the game with a two-run blast.
Lyons plays a full slate of games this week highlighted by a doubleheader Saturday against conference leader Oak Park (10-1) at Hawkinson Ford Field in Crestwood (4 p.m. and 7 p.m.).
