Roestenberg's No-Hitter Takes Series from South Side

After Division took of the Class A quarterfinals on Thursday, Friday was do-or-die for the South Side Cyclones.

South Side Pitcher Evan Singer gave up only one run in a truly playoff-worthy performance, but his teammates couldn't find their bats and were left hitless by Division ace Mike Roestenberg.

John Cruz started off the game for Division with a double, and he advanced to third off a ground-out by J.J. Kissane. Matt Santorufo sliced a single into left field for the only RBI of the game for either side.

Luckily for Division, one run proved to be enough as Roestenberg picked the perfect day to throw the first no-hitter of his career, complete with seven strikeouts.

"Michael had total control of his breaking ball, and his fastball kept them off balance," Division Head Coach Tom Tuttle said. "He pitched great the whole series, and that's the name of the game."

South Side looked like they had a fighting chance in the top of the second, before Roestenberg settled into his groove on the mound. After Andrew Talbot, Casey Cameron and David Hawley all walked, the Cyclones had the bases loaded with two outs. Back at the top of the line-up, Tom Kane came to the plate and worked his way to a full count. 

The rowdy baseball fans were on the edges of their seats as Roestenberg threw the deciding pitch- a strike to end the inning.

Both teams went down in three consecutive outs in their next at bats, grounding out and flying out for a show of defensive prowess. By the fourth inning it was clear this game was, above all else, a pitchers' duel.

A pop-out, ground-out, strikeout combination shut down the Cyclones in the top of the fourth, as they realized just how big of a challenge getting on the board in the final three innings would be.

Roestenberg started the fifth with a three pitch strikeout and a groundout to shortstop, but South Side still had hope in Kane as he walked and then moved to second on a pitch that slipped by Division's catcher. Before Kane could round the bases, however, the unstoppable force on the mound struck out the final batter of the inning.

Division's John Muller crushed a single to center field in the bottom of the fifth, and when Cruz followed with a walk, the Blue Dragons looked like they might drive in an insurance run. Singer decided not to let that happen, as he and his team of impenetrable infielders ended the inning with no damage done.

South Side's James Howard reached base on an error in the top of the sixth and advanced to second on a strikeout pitch that landed in the dirt. But when the next batter became another strikeout victim, the inning was over and the Cyclones had just one more chance to come back and extend the series to a third game.

Division went down easily in the bottom of the sixth, and it was all left up to the Cyclones in the final inning. They stayed alive as Cameron drew a walk, went to second on a ground-out hit by Dillon Leary and then continued to third on a ground-out by Hawley.

With the tying run on third and two outs, the fate of the Cyclones rested on Kane. With a swing of the bat he popped a fly ball that was caught to end the game, the series and the season for South Side.

"Both teams went out there and played ball today," South Side Head Coach Keith Lessuk said. "Their pitcher kept us off balance. He pitched a great game."

Though the 1-0 loss was tough, Lessuk channeled his disappointment into determination for next season.

"We have a lot of returning guys next year," Lessuk said of his team, which includes a mix of starting sophomores and juniors. "We'll have a lot of the same talent, plus we'll be mixing it up a little. We definitely expect to be back next year."

Division advances to the semifinals Monday at 4:30 p.m.