Riverside Brookfield High School senior center fielder Marco Villardito is turning more at bats into significantly more production this baseball season.
“Last year I was a little down on how I played. I expected a lot more, but it fueled me to have a better year this year,” Villardito said. “Last year I felt like I was under a lot of stress because of limited at bats. You don’t get in a groove as playing every day and seeing a bunch of pitchers, staying loose.”
Villardito is among many contributors to another strong start by the Bulldogs (10-5, 6-2 in Upstate Eight Conference East Division), including an eight-game winning streak after two shutout losses. In two-game series against UEC East opponents, RBHS has swept West Chicago and Elmwood Park then was swept by Ridgewood as part of a 1-3 stretch entering this week.
“We had a little bit of a rocky start, but after that we got into a groove and we got going,” said RBHS junior right fielder/first baseman Nick Baca, a varsity newcomer.
“I think we’ve been doing a lot better as a team, developing team chemistry. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with my teammates and just being with my friends every day.”
Villardito (.457 batting average, 1.118 OPS, 9 runs batted in, 15 runs) and Baca (.424, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, 1.483 OPS) are top hitters along with seniors Ben Biskupic (.350), Connor Dominick (.289, 10 RBIs), Eli Costello (.294, 14 RBIs, team-high 17 runs) and Damian Noa (.250, 5 RBIs) and sophomore Jack MacLennan (.400, 14 RBIs, 1.187 OPS).
Leading the pitchers are seniors Ronnie Murray (3-2, 1.66 earned-run average, 30 strikeouts in 22.1 innings), Noa (2-0, 1.34 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 15.2 innings) and Aidan Polich (1-2, 9 strikeouts in 10.2 innings) and sophomore William Harbeck (2-0, 14 strikeouts in 12 innings).
Villardito smiled when told he already has almost as many hits (16) as plate appearances in 2025 (17). He often played third base or shortstop, depending on who pitched.
“It’s been really exciting. I’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason, wanting this to be a very good year for me and the team,” he said. “I’ve been getting on a lot, lots of balls in play, and just keeping rallies going and finding barrels.”
The Bulldogs’ winning streak included an 11-0, five-inning victory over Montini, April 11. Last year, RBHS had a similar early-season win over St. Rita.
“[Montini is] obviously a very good team and people probably saw us as underdogs. That was pretty much the peak of our season so far,” Baca said.
LTHS baseball
Lyons Township senior Lou Ratcliffe is known for bringing an infectious, positive attitude. After five hits in his first seven games, he has turned his mindset into a hitting tear. He was 2 for 5 with three runs batted in Monday as the Lions roared past Glenbard West 14-2.
Ratcliffe now is hitting .419 for LTHS (12-2, 3-1 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) with a team-high 12 RBIs, 13 runs scored, and he leads regulars with eight extra-base hits (2 home runs, 6 doubles) and a 1.343 OPS.
“That’s the thing I kind of try to strive for is extra-base hits. Throughout my baseball career I’ve always been more of an extra-base hitter,” he said. “I had a little rough patch in the middle of the season and I kind of came back from that, which was awesome. Definitely the bats as a whole have been doing pretty well.”
The Lions have won three straight since a tough 3-2 loss to Montini Catholic, April 14. In their opening Silver series, they beat Oak Park and River Forest 9-2, April 9, and 5-2, April 7, after losing their April 6 opener 5-3.
The Lions’ other top hitters include Brady Koren (.414, 6 RBIs, 13 runs), Blake Ragsdale (.364, 12 runs), Lon Roberts (.351, 8 RBIs), Nick Hines (.344, 8 RBIs) and Tommy Georgelos (.310, 15 RBIs, 2 HRs). Georgelos homered and Justin Heydorn doubled twice Monday.
Senior pro pitching prospect Jack Slightom is 3-0 with a 0.00 earned-run average and 28 strikeouts in 14.1 innings.
Freshman Tommy Cavaliere (2-0, 1.14 ERA, 18 strikeouts) and Charlie Danaher (1-0, 1.58 ERA, 16 strikeouts) have worked 12.1 and 17.2 innings. Hines (1-1, 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings), Evan Gardner (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Owen Cypress (1-1, 2.52) also have made multiple appearances.
“Pitching was a question mark coming in but they’ve done really well,” LTHS coach Kevin Diete said. “We’re playing really well and able to score runs and just have to keep it going. Obviously our playoff run will the difficult with the sectional we’re in.”
Led by Ragsdale (10) and Hines (8), the Lions also have 63 stolen bases and can play small ball. Georgelos’ suicide squeeze bunt scored Hines for the winning run in the 4-3 eight-inning victory over Hanover Central, April 15.