Kits Finish Off Highland Park In Suspended Game

It took more than a week on the calendar for Evanston’s baseball team to conclude a suspended game with Highland Park.

Mason Denlow and Charlie Kalil made it worth the wait.

Kalil delivered a 2-run double to give the Wildkits some breathing room in the top of the 7th inning, and Denlow hurled a scoreless inning of relief to earn the save Wednesday as Evanston extended its winning string to 8 games in a row with a 10-7 triumph at Highland Park.

The contest, which began back on April 12th, was suspended because of darkness on that date with Evanston clinging to an 8-7 lead. The Wildkits are now 11-2 overall and remained undefeated in Central Suburban League competition.

Denlow, who fired a called 3rd strike past Highland Park’s Charlie Goldman with the bases loaded and two outs back on April 12th in the 6th, retired 3 of the 4 batters he faced in the 7th on Wednesday. That effort saved the win for Owen Brooks, who ran into trouble after tossing a pair of scoreless innings in relief of starter Jared Lortie.

Kalil’s 2-run, 2-out double to right center plated teammates Heath Ballard and Addison Blough just after the Wildkits got off the bus for the 1-inning affair.

Evanston led 4-3 after the first inning, but the Giants pulled even in the 4th and chased Lortie in the process. A swinging bunt single combined with a pair of Lortie wild pitches and a couple of walks helped the hosts knot the score at 4-all.

The Kits broke back on top with an unearned run in the 5th and scored 3 more in the 6th. The key blow in what turned out to be the winning rally came from senior Alex Vasquez, who sliced a triple into the wind past Giants’ right fielder Goldman with 2 outs and the bases loaded, scoring all 3 runs.

Hank Liss went 2-for-4 and 5 different ETHS players were credited with runs batted in.

Evanston resumes CSL action on Thursday with a home game at 4:45 against rival New Trier.