DeKALB – DeKalb may have bested Sycamore in football and boys basketball this year, but the Spartan baseball team ensured a baseball series win on Thursday, beating the Barbs 4-3 to take the three-game series.
"They beat us football, they beat us basketball, but it's good to say we got them in at least one thing," said Kevin Rink, who drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the seventh.
With Austin on Perry on third and two outs in a 3-3 tie in the rubber game of the series, Rink took the 0-2 pitch and drove it in the hole between short stop and third, scoring Perry.
"Props to (DeKalb reliever Jason Klemm), you have to tip your hat. He got me 0-2, then I was sitting fastball," Rink said. "He had thrown me two curveballs if I'm correct. So I sat fast ball, swung the bat and it went through the hall."
The Barbs (4-23 overall, 2-12 Northern Illinois big 12 East) scored first in the contest, but Sycamore (8-13, 4-8) answered back to tie the game at 1-1 in the second.
The Spartans took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth, when Rink singled, went to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Austin Steele. Steele grounded to Jacob Garland at third, and Garland hesitated toward home before throwing late to first, and the ball got away. Troy Larson singled home Steele with two outs.
"Neither team could get anything going offensively in a three-game series," Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said. "They had one inning where they got something going with some help, but beyond that we have to learn how to hit a breaking ball a little better than what we have so far. ... It was a lot of mistakes by both teams. I get the feeling neither team can score without help."
But DeKalb got the runs back in the bottom of the third. Max Lange was hit by starter Will Oczkowski and stole second. He stole third and throw got away, allowing him to score. After Eric Nelson walked, Zach Carlsen relieved Oczkowski and Nelson reached second on an errant pick-off attempt, scoring on a single by pinch hitter John Brei to tie the game at 3-3.
"We need a two base error on a pick-off throw – and there was one on both sides," Cavanaugh said. "We got a guy dead to rights going to third, and we throw the ball into left field to give them a free run. Those things are hare to overcome when you don't score many runs, and fortunately we were able to do it today."
DeKalb committed four errors in the loss, and coach Dedric Wright said that's something the team will just have to deal with from here on out.
"We're going to have to outscore some teams or outpitch some teams. It's basic plays we're not making," Wright said. "We're 27, 28 games in and hopefully we can make up the errors on the offensive side."
By the numbers: Sycamore outhit the Barbs, 5-4. Rink had the only multihit day, but Carlsen was 1 for 1 with three walks. Eric Nelson pitched six innings for DeKalb, allowing three runs, two earned and four hits. He struck out four and walked two. Oczkowski allowed three runs, one earned and three hits. He struck out five, walked two and hit a batter."
Beyond the stats: it was the first career start for Oczkowski.
They said it: "He gave us what we needed. He got into the sixth inning and turned it over to our closer," Cavanaugh said. "He walked three guys – the first two batters he faced and then he walked two in the sixth inning, and we pulled him right after that. you could see a exit velocity drop. he was starting to aim the ball a little bit instead of raring back and letting go."
Up next: The Barbs face Batavia at 4:30 p.m. Friday at NIU, while the Spartans head to Woodstock North at 11 a.m. Saturday.