It’s what we expected out of him.
When looking at the recent stretch senior Luke Brennan has been on, that’s how Naperville North coach Carl Hunckler describes the reason for it.
On Friday at Wheaton Warrenville South, Brennan’s hot stretch on the mound continued as he tossed his second straight complete game as Naperville North earned a 4-3 victory in DuPage Valley Conference play.
Brennan (6-1) struck out only three while scattering eight hits as he won for the fifth time in his last six starts.
“I just had to pound the zone,” Brennan said. “They’re a great hitting team. Just pound the zone. Everything was working for me (Friday). First-pitch curveball most of the time, (getting guys) popping out—just like the last guy (Justin Kelly to end the game). Just staying confident up there. It doesn’t matter what the umpires (are calling). I kind of got frustrated with that, but I just had to battle.”
A two-run homer to left from his battery mate, Mark Khoury, off Brian Doriott in the top of the seventh broke a 2-2 tie for Naperville North (14-14, 11-7).
“Coach (Hunckler) had talked to me before and I was down in the count,” said Khoury of the 0-1 pitch he saw from Doriott. “(Hunckler) said, ‘Be ready for some off-speed’ and I saw a curveball. It was hung, so I just hit it pretty hard.”
Khoury had a pair of hits and three RBIs for the Huskies, who got a 3-for-4 performance at the plate from center fielder Alex Garon, who’s hitting .361.
Khoury’s blast helped pick up Brennan, who surrendered a run in the bottom of the sixth on a bloop RBI single from Paul Monaco, which tied the game at 2-2.
After Khoury’s home run gave Brennan a two-run cushion going into the bottom of the inning, Wheaton Warrenville South proceeded to get its first two batters on.
A fielder’s choice off the bat of Jack Demsher, who had a pair of RBIs, got the Tigers (12-17, 10-8) within 4-3 with one out in the seventh.
Brennan responded by retiring the next two hitters he faced, Ben Flores on a fly ball to right and Kelly on a pop out to short, to preserve the one-run victory for the Huskies.
“Certainly (Brennan) battled out there,” Hunckler said. “What a great way to end the game. I think most people’s thoughts were to either pitch around (Kelly) or make him get himself out. (Kelly) has crushed the ball against us several times. But the plan was … it’s one thing to have a plan, so Coach (Mark Lindo) goes out there and says, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to make (Kelly) get himself out.’
“For a young 17-year-old to carry out the plan, that’s the best thing and that’s what Luke has been good at all year.”
The Huskies got their two batters on against Tigers’ starter Jake Kyllonen in the first but failed to push a run across and loaded the bases in the third on three straight singles.
Kyllonen got a pop up and a double play to get out of that jam unscathed, but he wasn’t so lucky an inning later as a one-out walk to Sam Siebers and a Jake Smith RBI double to center tied the game at 1-1.
Naperville North would take its first lead of the game in the fifth, courtesy of a leadoff Garon double, a Nate Given sacrifice fly and a Khoury single through the hole between third and short.
“Alex has been on a tear,” Hunckler said. “It was nice to see Jake hit the ball hard.”
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