College Baseball: St. Francis clinches spot in conference tourney

St. Francis and St. Xavier both entered the final series of the regular season with their postseason chances in peril.

It was the perfect time for the Saints to put together what outfielder David Kuhne called one of their best offensive games of the season. …

High School Sports Roundup for April 27, 2013

College Softball

For the first time in over 15 years, Lewis has defeated the No. 1 team in the nation, as the Flyers, behind a no-hitter from sophomore pitcher Kelly Bowler earned the 2-0 win over Indianapolis in Game 1 of a Great Lakes Valley …

Illiana Speedway: Hoffman sweats out victory

Eddie Hoffman had plenty to sweat about with Mike White on his back bumper for the final 11 laps of Saturday’s opening-night feature at Illiana Speedway.

His biggest sigh of relief, however, came with 12 remaining, when he, Jeff Cannon and White were in a …

Softball: Plainfield Central crushes Joliet West to win Larkin Slugfest

Plainfield Central had an ace up their sleeve on Saturday and won the 20th annual Larkin Slugfest at the Elgin Sports Complex with a 7-1 win over Joliet West in the title game. Plainfield had lost to Joliet back in its second game of the …

Girls Soccer: Rosary Invite becomes a Plainfield S’urprise’

AURORA — For the fifth straight year someone new claimed the crown of the Rosary Invitational and for 2013 the “surprise” belonged to Plainfield S, as in the South Cougars.

Most coaches consider the day-long tourney a “war of attrition” with the eight-school event beginning …

Auto Racing: Billy Knippenberg takes late-model opener at Grundy County Speedway

Billy Knippenberg didn’t bring a brand- new late-model to Grundy County Speedway on Friday night, he brought a rocket. The Plainfield native started on the pole and never left the No. 1 spot, smoking the 19-car field for his first late-model feature win since 2006 …

Softball: Minooka settles for a split

Minooka’s Jacie Lilek is more of a prototypical strikeout pitcher. Neuqua Valley’s Kristin Catalano is just the opposite, getting an occasional strikeout but mostly relying on her defense. With Neuqua Valley and host Minooka splitting a nonconference doubleheader Saturday, Lilek switched things up while Catalano …

Men’s Volleyball: Lewis’ BJ Boldog, Geoff Powell named second team All-Americans

Lewis University redshirt junior setter BJ Boldog and redshirt sophomore outside hitter Geoff Powell were named American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I-II Men’s Volleyball Second Team All-Americans, the AVCA announced. This marks the second straight season Lewis has had members earn the honor. The Flyers …

Boys Track and Field: Plainfield East’s Joseph Suarez sparkles in distance races at Stephen Hunt Invitational

The Plainfield Central track has special meaning for Plainfield East’s Joseph Suarez.

“I really love this place,’’ Suarez said. “I ran here when I was in middle school.’’

Suarez, a sophomore, ran well Friday night during the 20th Stephen Hunt Invitational at Central. He took …

Girls Track and Field: Plainfield Central’s Jenna Moody wins three dashes at Stephen Hunt Invitational

In the last meet on her home track, Plainfield Central senior Jenna Moody had a night to remember at the Stephen Hunt Invitational.

Moody won the 100-meter dash in 12.43 seconds, then came back to win the 400 (57.12) and the 200 (25.53) with meet …

Softball: Lincoln-Way East outshines Lincoln-Way Central

“Friday night lights” is a term typically reserved for football.

Friday night, however, the lights at Lincoln-Way Central illuminated a SouthWest Suburban Blue softball showdown between the Knights and visiting Lincoln-Way East.

Unfortunately for the Knights, it was East’s bats putting out the most voltage …

Baseball: Joe Carnagio homers twice as Minooka clubs Plainfield South

Minooka exploded for five home runs, two by Joe Carnagio, in a 15-3 romp over Southwest Prairie leader Plainfield South.

Softball: Plainfield South tops Plainfield North in eight innings

Plainfield South’s Alyssa Mannucci was in absolutely no rush.

With the winning run on third in the bottom of the eighth in Friday’s game against Plainfield North, Mannucci was going to wait for her pitch.

“I knew I had to hit to the right side …

High School/Local College Sports Roundup for April 26, 2013

Baseball

Lemont 3, Eisenhower 2: Joe Sambucci pitched three scoreless innings in relief to earn a win for Lemont (10-4, 9-1 South Suburban Blue). Marc Tokarski drove in a run for the Indians.

Lincoln-Way Central 1, Joliet Central 0: Pitcher Brad Bass struck out 15 …

Baseball: Zack Thomas, Joliet West stifle Lockport bats

Joliet West left-hander Zack Thomas pitched a three-hitter to lead the Tigers past Lockport 3-1 in a key SouthWest Suburban Blue match-up.