Kaneland takes advantage of 12 walks, 7 errors to beat L-P

Free passes of any kind will destroy a team and on Tuesday, La Salle-Peru gave up 12 walks, hit a batter and committed seven errors, and Kaneland made the Cavaliers pay as the Knights came away with an 11-6 Interstate 8 Conference victory at the L-P Sports Complex in La Salle.

The Knights started the game with three consecutive singles from Kanon Baxley, Preston Popovich and Aidan Whilden, who’s hit gave Kaneland a 1-0 lead, but Gavin Kallis responded for the Cavs to get the next three outs and limit the damage.

In the bottom of the second, the Cavs responded with four runs. Grey Ernat started things out with a single up the middle and Ceyton Urbanski drew a walk.

Braylin Bond put down a bunt to load the bases with no outs. Two batters later, Jackson Piecha tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single to center.

Brandon Lamps gave the Cavs their first lead on an RBI single to center before Adrian Arzola made it 3-1 on a fielder’s choice.

Ernat made it 4-1 with an RBI single to center, but Arzola was thrown out at home trying to score to end the inning.

Popovich picked up a single in the top of the third inning and Whilden reached on an error. After a double steal, Brady Alstott made it 4-2 with an infield single.

Kaneland's Kanon Baxley slides in safe to second base as L-P's Grey Ernat misses the tag on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at Huby Sarver Field at the L-P Athletic Complex in La Salle. (Scott Anderson)

Two great defensive plays by Kaedin Bond and Jett Hill ended the inning for the Knights as the score remained 4-2.

Kaneland regained the lead in the top of the fourth as Nate Campbell led off with a walk before Kallis left with an injury.

That’s where things went south for the Cavs as Dylan Borysiewicz and Carter Grabowski loaded the bases with walks.

Austin Preuss scored on a Rock Radtke wild pitch to cut the Cavs lead to 4-3. Borysiewicz attempted to score on another wild pitch but Lamps threw to Radtke to get the runner at the plate.

A throw to first went down the right field line, allowing Grabowski to tie the game at 4-4.

After the fifth and sixth consecutive walks of the inning, Alstott hit a sacrifice fly to center that gave the lead back to the Knights at 5-4.

“Too many walks and too many mistakes,” L-P coach Matt Glupczynski said. “It was tough with Gavin Kallis going out, but the guys that come in have to do a better job coming in and throwing strikes. The defense has to play better behind him.”

The Cavs answered right back in the bottom half of the inning as Arzola tripled with one out and then scored on a Kaedin Bond groundout to tie the game at 5-5.

In the top of the fifth, walks and errors came back to haunt the Cavs again. Tom Thill led off with a walk and Campbell reached on a fielder’s choice and Thill was safe at second as Ernat was ruled to have pulled his foot off the bag.

After a double steal, Borysiewicz hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Thill and Campbell scored as the throw to third on a steal attempt went into left field, making it 7-5 Knights.

Urbanski led off the bottom half of the fifth being hit by a pitch and later scored on Lamps’ second RBI single of the game to cut the deficit to 7-6.

Four more walks and two more L-P errors in the top of the sixth put the game away for Kaneland.

Whilden walked and then went to third on the errant pick off attempt. Alstott made it 8-6 with an RBI single down the third base line.

L-P's Adrian Arzola slides into the tag by Kaneland catcher Nate Campbell on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at Huby Sarver Field at the L-P Athletic Complex in La Salle. (Scott Anderson)

Moments later Alsott was called out at third, but after talking to Kaneland coach Brian Aversa, the call was reversed.

After the reversal, Thill walked and Alsott scored on a Campbell sacrifice fly. Grabowski and Baxley both drew RBI walks that made it 11-6 Kaneland.

“We didn’t hit the ball hard at all today,” Aversa said. “But the starting L-P pitcher got hurt and we took advantage of errors and walks to get the win.”

L-P threatened in the sixth, but a double play ended the scoring chance.

Kaneland was led by Popovich and Alstott with two hits each while Alstott added a pair of RBIs. The Cavs were led by Lamps with two hits and two RBIs. Tyler Spelich took the loss for L-P, while Evan Ross picked up the win for Kaneland.

1 of 23

Kaneland's Kanon Baxley slides in safe to second base as L-P's Grey Ernat misses the tag on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at Huby Sarver Field at the L-P Athletic Complex in La Salle. (Scott Anderson)