Grimm's Tale Doesn't Have Happy Ending

Braden Grimm pitched the game of his life Thursday at Duke Childs Field.

But all the Evanston baseball team had to show for it was another loss to New Trier.

The senior right-hander hurled a 1-hitter over the first five innings and took a 4-1 lead into the 7th. Then, even with rain pelting down, the bullpen couldn’t put out the fire and New Trier rallied for a 5-4 Central Suburban League South division victory.

After Grimm surrendered a walk to Declan Spinner leading off the 7th, relievers Noah Cryns and McHenry Mason failed to retire a single batter and the Trevians’ James Novakovic hit the game-winning, bases-loaded single through the drawn-in infield for the walk-off win.

Evanston lost to the Trevians for the second time in three days and fell to 10-5-1 overall, 2-3 in league play. Division leader New Trier moved to 12-3 and 5-0, respectively.

Grimm, who had never faced the Trevians before in his varsity mound career, toyed with the hosts and yielded just two hits while striking out six and walking three. The senior was in attack mode against New Trier’s hitters from the time he stepped off the bus and certainly deserved more than a no-decision.

Just ask ETHS head coach Frank Consiglio, whose search for a bullpen closer might have reached a critical stage following the devastating defeat.

Between them, Cryns and Mason allowed three hits, two walks and a hit batter in a forgettable final frame.

“That wasn’t just Braden’s best game, it was the best regular season game I’ve ever seen anybody pitch,” Consiglio praised. “Braden just dominated them. It’s tough when you see an outing like that wasted. But the 7th inning reared its ugly ahead against us again today. You really give the other team a lot of momentum when it’s ball four and you hit a guy or two.

“I’m really proud of the way we played --- outside of the mound. You have to have guys perform in that (closer) role, and we didn’t. Until we find someone who does perform, we’ll experience this (late inning losses). I do feel a lot better about today compared to the first time we played them (11-2 loss) because we take a lot of pride in being able to bounce back in this program. We got back to playing Evanston baseball, the kind of baseball we’re accustomed to seeing.”

The Wildkits broke through for a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd against New Trier southpaw Noah Shapo, then added single runs in the 5th and 7th. But the visitors also had three runners thrown out at the plate while out-hitting New Trier by a 10-5 margin.

A leadoff single by Jake Kobus started the 3rd inning threat. Eron Vega bounced into a fielder’s choice for the first out, but Grimm reached on an error, Charlie Kalil followed with sacrifice fly, and Cryns rapped an opposite field single to push the lead to 2-0 in ETHS’ favor.

In the 5th, the Kits made some noise with two outs. Grimm lined a single to center, and courtesy runner Alex Van Durmen came around to score on Kalil’s double into the right field corner. Cryns delivered another single, but Kalil was nailed at the plate to end the inning.

Evanston produced what looked like an insurance run in the 7th when Vega reached on an error and Grimm helped his own cause with his second hit of the day, a triple to right.

Grimm was masterful on the mound over the first five innings, allowing just a single by Aidan Nolan in the 2nd. He faltered slightly in the 6th when the Trevians got on the board thanks to a pair of walks on 3-2 pitches and a two-out single by Trey Meyers, who beat out a grounder to deep short.

It was all downhill for the losers in the 7th. After Grimm issued a leadoff walk, Consiglio turned to his two most reliable relievers --- at least on paper --- in Cryns and Mason.

Ironically, Cryns was the hero of last year’s Evanston win at New Trier with a relief performance that led to a 9-inning 7-5 triumph. In that game, he struck out six in a three-inning stint and twice pitched out of bases load jams.

But Thursday wasn’t his day. He hit Nolan with a pitch and then walked Ben Toft to load the bases. Mason came on to allow consecutive singles by Max Miller and Mason Bloom, the No. 8 and No. 9 hitters, then walked Sam Nigro on four pitches to force across the tying run.

With still no outs, Novakovic grounded a single up the middle to trigger a New Trier celebration.

“Those first six innings showed just how good we can be as a team,” said Consiglio. “And I’m always thinking about the (state) playoffs, even at this point in the season, and I’d definitely take that kind of pitching from Braden in the playoffs. There wasn’t a lot of hard contact against him. He did everything he was supposed to do.”