SKOKIE — After a strong performance from starting pitcher Justin Hasek and some early run support, the Buffalo Grove baseball team was able to hang on late for a 7-4 road win over Niles West on Saturday.
Hasek pitched four scoreless innings for the Bison, striking out six and allowing just one hit.
“Justin was great for us today,” Buffalo Grove coach Jeff Grybash said. “He limited his three-ball counts, which is one of our goals for him, to keep his pitch count low so he can go deep into games.”
The Bison offense came through early as well, scoring four runs while Hasek was on the mound.
But Niles West didn’t go away quietly. Niles West sophomore Christos Tountas drove in two runs on a single to bring the score to 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
The next two batters walked for Niles West, leaving the bases loaded with two outs for senior Matthew De La Vega. But with a 2-0 count, he grounded out to end the inning.
“We had the bases loaded with arguably our best hitter on,” Wolves coach Garry Gustafson said. “And it was still a one-run game going into the seventh, even with the mistakes we made early.”
In the top of the seventh, Andrew Cole’s single knocked in two insurance runs for the Bison, giving him three RBI on the night.
“We’re trying to work on little things because we really haven’t been out on the field,” Grybash said. “Obviously the result was great, but there were a lot of other little things we did really well.”
Jakub Rudnik 