In the form of pitcher Ryan Davila, Warren coach Clint Smother literally had an ace in his back pocket.
With no conference game scheduled this week, Smothers called on Davila to get the Blue Devils out of a jam Friday.
“We knew he didn’t have to throw him on Tuesday,” Smothers said. “So we were able to go to him.”
With an odd number of teams in the North Suburban Lake, each has one week during the season with no conference games scheduled. The “bye” week played a key role in the Blue Devils’ ninth shutout.
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Three days after his fifth scoreless start of the season, Davila took the ball to protect a 2-0 lead with Wauconda runners on second and third and one out in the sixth inning.
The senior left-hander induced a pop out and a fly out and then struck out the side in the seventh for Warren (16-5), which won its sixth straight game. Davila lowered his ERA to 0.38 for the Blue Devils, who are 10-1 in their last 11.
“I think that was my first time all year coming in in relief,” said Davila, a Heartland Community College recruit. “It felt different and weird, but I felt comfortable. I just treated it like a start and didn’t try to think too much.”
Davila has allowed one earned run all season. The Blue Devils have been tough to score on, whether he’s on the mound or not.
Warren allowed one run in four games last week and has a team ERA of 1.24. Davila and Smothers both praised pitching coach Clay Kovac.
“He does a great job with our pitchers, and the kids buy into to what he is preaching,” Smothers said. “Our top two guys (Davila and Sam LaMotte), they really pound, pound, pound the zone.”
Malisheski cleared: Friday’s loss to Warren ended Wauconda’a 10-game winning streak. The Bulldogs (14-3) managed to thrive without their top player.
Kevin Malisheski tore his ACL playing quarterback for Wauconda in the fall, but he could be back on the mound this week.
The Illinois State recruit has been cleared to make his season debut and may pitch in relief, according to Bulldogs coach Bill Sliker. He said Malisheski will throw a few innings at a time.
Undefeated in conference play, Wauconda will attempt to strengthen its hold on first place in the North Suburban Prairie against Grant on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Casanova update: Considering the opponent, Waukegan’s Jean Casanova put together one of the top performances of his outstanding season Friday.
The senior right-hander held New Trier to two hits while striking out 12 and walking one in Waukegan’s 1-0 loss.
It was the fourth time Casanova pitched at least seven innings, and he had double-digit strikeout totals in each. He also struck out 11 in 5 1/3 innings against Lipscomb, Tenn. He has 94 strikeouts and 24 walks in 48 innings.
Mike Helfgot is a freelance writer for the News-Sun.