Prep baseball: Jimmy Amptmann, Sycamore bats power win against DeKalb

MALTA — If there’s one thing Jimmy Amptmann likes to see, it’s his Sycamore teammates dealing fast on the hill.

The Sycamore designated hitter had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice as the Spartans knocked off rival DeKalb 12-1 in five innings on Saturday at Kishwaukee College.

“I felt like our pitching was able to get quick outs at times,” Amptmann said. “It’s not always the reality, but we did get quick outs and pitched to contact and kept our batters up in the dugout today. I know when the pitchers are moving like that it helps me as the DH, cause I’m able to get into the game quicker.”

It was the sixth straight victory of 10 or more runs for the Spartans (19-2), who used three pitchers in the win. Owen Piazza and Teague Hallahan each went two innings and Tommy Townsend pitched the fifth to ensure the run-rule win.

That’s what we’ve been doing all year, wearing down pitchers. We were able to do that again today.

—  Jason Cavanaugh, Sycamore baseball coach

The trio allowed just three DeKalb hits. Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said it was important to keep arms fresh for a series Monday and Wednesday against Kaneland, with Amptmann scheduled to start Monday.

“Tommy hadn’t pitched in two weeks,” Cavanaugh said. “Teague pitched maybe two innings last week. It’s tough to find all the innings we need to find. We kind of split those guys up, and we have to have pitchers ready for Kaneland on Wednesday.”

The Spartans pounced on DeKalb (12-9-1) and ace Jackson Kees for three runs in the first behind a groundout by Townsend and RBI singles from Amptmann and Kyle Hartmann. The Spartans tacked on five more in the second, chasing Kees after a three-run double by Townsend and an RBI double by Amptmann - the first two extra-base hits of the game for Sycamore.

“That’s what we’ve been doing all year, wearing down pitchers. We were able to do that again today,” Cavanaugh said. “Their pitcher is good, and we haven’t seen a good pitcher I felt like in quite a while. I felt like our guys stepped up to the challenge and got the barrel on the baseball and built some good innings.”

DeKalb coach Josh Latimer said he was proud of the effort Kees put in against a strong-hitting Sycamore team. He also said he liked how reliever Aiden Lange pitched. Lange escaped the jam in the second, didn’t give up a run in the third, but gave up four to the Spartans in the fourth.

“It wasn’t Jackson’s best game, but he came out and he did what we needed,” Latimer said. “He threw some strikes. Then Aiden Lange came in and did a phenomenal job for us. I love that kid as a sophomore. It’s one of those things we started a freshman and five sophomores. We started one senior today. But at the end of the day the outcome, it is what it is. But I’m happy with the guys.”

In the top of the first the Barbs threatened to score with singles by Maddux Clarence and Kees plus having Nate Nunez reach on an error, but couldn’t get a run across.

“Against a team like that when you have the bases loaded there right away you’ve got to try to jab at them a little bit and get some runs on the board,” Latimer said. “And we didn’t.”

DeKalb only got one more hit, another single by Kees in the third. Nik Nelson scored in that inning on a bases-loaded walk issued by Hallahan to Clarence. Hallahan also struck out the side looking.

Latimer was ejected in the fourth, arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire after Nelson struck out looking. Of the six DeKalb strikeouts, the first five were looking.

“It’s one of those things I had some disagreements,” Latimer said. “Obviously the umpire saw it his way, I saw some things a little bit differently. And at the end of the day, I’m going to stick up for my guys. I love this group and they appreciate it when I stick up for them. And unfortunately, I got tossed.”

There was a second reserve game between the team, with Sycamore winning 8-4. Four more Sycamore pitchers got innings in the win.

Latimer said he liked what his team showed in Game 1. Due to the ejection, he didn’t coach Game 2.

“In a game of this magnitude I don’t think we played bad to tell you the truth,” Latimer said. “They came out and they hit the ball. We knew they were going to. Jason has a good team over there this year. Their expectations are high and we understand that.”

Sycamore banged out 15 hits in the first-game win. Kiefer Tarnoki had four singles and scored twice and Connor Williar and Lucas Winburn had two hits each.

“Obviously it’s a rivalry game so we came in with the mentality that anything can happen,” Amptmann said. “We knew they were coming out and giving us their best game. We were really excited to play today and we came out and played well.”