With his team facing an 18-4 deficit Wednesday with one out in the bottom of the seventh against Homewood-Flossmoor, Richards coach Brian Wojcik began preparing a scathing critique.
“I was getting ready for my postgame speech, which wasn’t going to be very favorable,” Wojcik said. “As we started putting hits together, my mood slowly changed from being almost disgusted with my team’s performance to being proud of these guys for not giving up.”
Dan Heimerdinger went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and three RBIs to lead a 14-run, game-tying Bulldogs rally in the bottom of the seventh. Heimerdinger later led off the bottom of the ninth with a home run to lift Richards to a 19-18 victory.
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ROUNDUP
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Baseball
TEAM, SYNOPSIS
4 Lyons 7, 8 SANDBURG 3
Non-conference
Dan Brewer hit 2-run HR and Chris Gawenda added solo HR for Lions (3-0). Pat Grady hit a solo HR for Sandburg (1-1).
Wilmington 2, 7 New Trier 1
Non-conference
Adam Kruchten went 3-for-3 and Tanner Roark went 2-for-3 with double and RBI for Warriors (9-0). Roark threw 6-hitter and struck out 7.
Wilmington 5, HARRISBURG 3
Non-conference
Wildcats (9-0) avenged 17-5 loss in 2004 Class A state semifinals. Nick Hansen and Tony Vercelli each went 2-for-4 with run scored for Wilmington, and Dillon Roark earned win.
Softball
TEAM, SYNOPSIS
1 LOCKPORT 5, Bradley 0
Non-conference
Lacey Ligmanowski threw 1-hit shutout with 1 walk and 10 strikeouts for Porters (2-1). Angela Findlay went 3-for-4 with RBI and Breanna Kronberg went 2-for-3.
Boys basketball
TEAM, SYNOPSIS
Chavers steps down as head coach at Sullivan Angelo Chavers has resigned after 12 seasons as head coach at Sullivan. The Tigers were 3-22 this past season. “I didn’t have a great year by my standards or by other people’s standards,” Chavers said. “I just felt it was time to move on.”
— Home team in CAPS. Compiled by Nathan Baird.