Joliet West defeats Plainfield East as freshman Jimmy Anderson throws shutout

JOLIET – Joliet West scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning and added one in the sixth, but all the Tigers needed was one of those runs.

Freshman Jimmy Anderson pitched a complete-game shutout for the Tigers in a 4-0 Southwest Prairie Conference win over Plainfield East on Thursday.

The Tigers (8-6, 5-1 SPC) took two of three in their three-game series against the Bengals (5-7, 3-3) this week.

“Jimmy just goes out there and competes,” West coach John Karczewski said. “This was just his third varsity start, and he just keeps learning and getting better every time he goes to the mound.”

Anderson didn’t let a runner get to second base except in the first inning, was helped by two double plays and gave up only five hits while striking out six.

“This feels really big,” Anderson said. “I just go out there and compete because I know I have a job to do. My inside two-seam [fastball] was really working well early, and then as the game went on the curveball really came around.

“This was just my third start, and I have learned each time, but this was a big game for me today. I’m feeling more comfortable, and to be pitching against 17- and 18-year-olds is incredible, and to have Ty Batusich as my catcher is huge for me. He is going to a [Division I college] program, and I’m learning from him every day.”

The Tigers scored those three runs in the second inning despite only two hits leaving the infield. With runners on second and third and one out, leadoff hitter Camden Karczewski laid down a perfect bunt up the third base line for the first RBI. Josh Wokurka followed with an infield hit and the second RBI, then Batusich ripped a double to right field to get the third run home. Bautisich also had a triple in the fifth inning that was a rocket to right-center field into a stiff wind.

Nolan Nemanich got the Tigers’ fourth run home in the sixth with an RBI single.

“Our top three guys in the lineup set the table for Ty, and I believe there isn’t a better hitter in this state than him,” Karczewski said. “I didn’t call that bunt when Camden laid it down, but he knows baseball better than most people, and he saw the opportunity. We start two freshmen and a sophomore in our conference rotation, and they just keep getting better. We started the season 2-5 and have now won six of our last seven games.”

“I have to give West and Karch [Karczewski] credit for the win today because they executed everything they needed to for the win,” East coach Adam O’Reel said. “We were very noncompetitive with our at-bats today, and West out-toughnessed us today. We had some really lazy, weak outs today. We didn’t really attack at all.”

Sophomore Brady Louck, Plainfield East’s starting pitcher, struck out out six and had two of the Bengals’ five hits from the leadoff spot in the lineup.

“Brady threw the ball well today, was outstanding and deserved better,” O’Reel said.