By Ed Muniz-Photos by Jenn-Anne Gledhill and Morgan Gonzales
** Additional Photos are Available for Purchase at https://justallsports.zenfolio.com/p824313483 **
LISLE─ A rare Sunday morning WSBL home game was on tap for the 12U Illinois-Lisle Wolves. They played host to the Hounds of Baseball on June 9.
What the Wolves served up to their guest was a breakfast of Stellar pitching and 3 full helpings of Homeruns.
The 11-1 lopsided Wolves win took just four innings.
Known for his prowess behind the plate, Tyler Sokolnicki took to the mound and showed a dominant performance with the pitching start.
In his three-inning stint, he struck out five while giving up two measly hits and one run. Sokolnicki was a power on the mound which also created easy ground ball outs.
Of the 12 batters he faced, only three batters reached base, with one via a dropped third strike. He also didn’t give any free passes via walks.
Sokolnicki was in total control of his pitches, looking as comfortable on the mound as a pitcher can be.
“The feeling of pitching always seems to get me going,” said Tyler. “Also, that team was a little bit of chirpers, I love pitching against teams that chirp like they were. I felt really good, my arm was real loose, so I was ready to throw hard being fresh.”
“Right now, I don’t feel I’m helping much behind the plate so I want to get better, but I do want to start pitching more, I like getting a break catching but I think I can help the team doing both, either catching or pitching. I think I’m better on the mound when I start.”
With league rules limiting pitcher to 3-innings max, the Hounds looked relieved of the pitching change by the Wolves, but Brian Grogan quickly squashed any thoughts of relief by the Hounds and vanquished the visitors quickly facing just four batters, ending the shorten game by the 10-run rule.
It wasn’t all pitching the Wolves brought to the game. The Wolves offense was on full display which included three Nukes over the fence.
The 12-hit barrage produced 11-runs. Home runs by Graham Johnson, Quinn Robinson and Griff Sinkovich were the highlighted blows.
For Griff, it was his first ever home run.
“I went up there just trying to make contact but then I realized that I could do it,” said Sinkovich. “At first, I thought it was a pop-fly, I thought I could run it out hoping it would drop, then someone kept saying “it’s carrying, it’s carrying” then when I saw it was gone, it was a sigh of relief.”
“I was shocked at first, and then it hit me, I just hit my first homerun ever. When the team was cheering after the homerun for me, It made me feel really happy because it means a lot to me that others are enjoying something I did successfully. It was great.”
The Wolves started strong, jumping out to a 3-0 lead. Johnny Burke and Christian Slazak each singled and Graham Johnson homered for a team leading eighth time. All three scored, jumping the Wolves ahead after one inning.
The Hounds scored a solo-run in their next at-bat, their only run of the game. The Wolves countered right back with a run after Sinkovich doubled, stole third and scored on a sac-fly by Grogan for the 4-1 lead after two innings.
Sokolnicki’s dominance on the mound continued in inning three, retiring the Hounds in order.
The Wolves third inning would put the game away. They went on to score 7 runs on seven hits.
Singles by Burke, Michael Petrbok, Johnson and Slazak provided a good start. Robinson next homered to left to add two additional runs.
“I was expecting a curveball, so I waited on it and hit it, it went far,” said Robinson. “I could tell that it was out the way it came off the bat. I knew it wasn’t a far homerun, but I could tell it was gone.”
“I’m excited and try not holding a smile as I’m running to first after I hit a homerun. I’ve been hot and cold spots during the season, I feel like I’m back on track and I’m going to the plate feeling more confident. Lately I’ve been more hot than cold.”
He was followed by a Nico Villanueva single which then saw Sinkovich homer to left. An earlier walk to Eamon Muldoon also ended up scoring in the inning. With the excepting of Johnson, all scored.
With Grogan putting on the finishing touches, the Wolves prevailed 11-1 in four innings.
The Hounds were given another chance to hit with the game in hand. The new battery for the Wolves saw Auggie Ruffolo head to the mound while Eamon Muldoon put on the gear behind the plate. Each were able fill into positions not their norm and were quite adequate. The duo helped close out the Hounds.
Also adding to the team win were Auggie Ruffolo with a single and Gavin Smith defensively.
The 12U Wolves next head to the King of the Rock Tournament in Franklin Wisconsin on June 13-16
