Meyer’s 6 hits 
lift CL in opener

Zachary Carpenter celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against Elgin in the first round of the District 11 American Legion Baseball Tournament on Thursday at Crystal Lake Central. Crystal Lake earned a 15-9 victory. Nick Dentamaro - ndentamaro@nwherald.com (Nick Dentamaro ())

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Gavin Meyer proved to be the catalyst for the Crystal Lake American Legion (30-6) baseball team.

The Crystal Lake South graduate had six hits and scored four times from the leadoff spot in a 15-9 win against Elgin on the first day of the District 11 Tournament on Thursday at Crystal Lake Central.

“I was seeing the ball really well today,” Meyer said, “I was finding the pitches I wanted and hit them.”

Meyer also homered as a part of his six-hit day as Crystal Lake team picked up its 30th win of the summer.

“All of us have been together for a while and get along with each other well,” said Sean Wilson, who drove in six runs in Thursday’s victory. “Thirty wins isn’t something that has happened very often and it is something special to be a part of.”

Elgin’s offense got out the gate quickly, outscoring Crystal Lake, 6-3, in the first three innings. However, Crystal Lake responded in the top of the fourth as Brian Marquis, Jacob Heckman and Gavin Meyer led off the inning with three consecutive singles.

After a sacrifice fly by Crystal Lake Central graduate Christopher Spinelle that drove in Heckman, 2008 Crystal Lake South grad Sean Wilson followed by depositing a three-run home run over the left field wall.

“He [Tyler Shore] threw me a knuckleball up, and I swung as hard as I could and fortunately it went out,” Wilson said.

Zachary Carpenter, a Crystal Lake South grad, followed Wilson with a solo home run and Crystal Lake retook the lead 8-6.

Crystal Lake cemented its lead in the top of the fifth, as Marquis, a 2009 Cary-Grove graduate, once again led off with a single and later scored on a throwing error after stealing third.

After Meyer singled and Spinelle walked, Sean Wilson singled to score Meyer, and Spinelle would score as Zachary Carpenter reached on an error.

Wilson scored the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Adam Nisenson, which expanded Crystal Lake’s lead to 12-6.

“They had the momentum at first, we were able to take it away from them,” Crystal Lake coach Bob Bacci said, “and when you get the momentum in baseball it’s over.”