Prep baseball: Sam Genslinger outduels reliever Martin Ledbetter as Indian Creek eliminates Hinckley-Big Rock

HINCKLEY – Indian Creek had more hits from the first seven batters of the game than in the last six innings, but it was enough in support of Sam Genslinger’s gem in a 4-1 win of Hinckley-Big Rock in a Class 1A Somonauk Regional play-in game Monday.

Genslinger pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits, striking out 12 and walking four. The Timberwolves (11-13) staked him to a 4-0 lead, chasing Hinckley-Big Rock starter Richard Hintzsche after one-third of an inning.

“FIrst inning we hopped on whoever they started, I don’t remember,” Genslinger said. “It kind of got slow toward the end of the game with the kid who was throwing gas. I pitched a pretty good game today. They backed me up back here. Pretty complete game for us for the most part.”

Six of the first seven batters reached for the Timberwolves. Nik Nelson and Kaleb Helgesen had RBI singles off Hintzsche, and Jakob McNally drew a bases-loaded walk off reliever Martin Ledbetter to make it 4-0.

Not only was that all the TImberwolves would need, it was all Ledbetter would give up as well. He retired 17 straight at one point in relief and finished with 14 strikeouts and allowed two hits for the Royals (12-11).

“We struggled pitching right off the bat,” H-BR coach Matt Olsen said. “That was the ballgame right there. Once we got rolling, Martin shut them down. He had 14 strikeouts in the game. We had been struggling offensively the last couple weeks and trying to get things going. We hit a slump and lost our swagger a little bit.”

The game was a rematch from May 7 – Genslinger faced Hintzsche that day too – an 11-5 win for the Timberwolves in which Genslinger struck out five and allowed one earned run in five innings.

Genslinger said after that performance he really wanted the ball again Monday and figured the team could produce offensively again.

“I expected it,” Genslinger said. “I knew we would hop on him. We hopped on him the first game we played him. I wanted this game. This is the game I wanted all year. I had it during conference, and I wanted it now, so they gave it to me again. I went out and proved what I had.”

Indian Creek coach Kevin Poterek said it was the most complete game his team has played all year.

“They came out believing they could hit it,” Poterek said. “They’ve been taking much better plate approaches and better swings and it fed on itself. Once one guy got it the hitting is contagious and they got it started and kept it going.”

Ledbetter had two of the Royals’ four hits, including an RBI double in the seventh. Nelson had two of the TImberwolves’ six hits.

Next up for the Timberwolves is a semifinal game Wednesday against Putnam County.

“They’re a quality team, excellent team,” Poterek said. “They are going to be a tough team to beat. You never know with high school sports. We’ve got some energy, got some momentum. We’re playing well.”