St. Charles East rallies past Barrington 4-2 behind fourth-inning surge

BARRINGTON, Ill. - St. Charles East erased an early deficit with a three-run fourth inning and held off Barrington for a 4-2 road win Saturday afternoon.

The decisive stretch came after the Fighting Saints fell behind 2-1 through three innings. Gavin Fuscone opened the top of the fourth with a double, then swiped third and came home two batters later on Mason Daros' single down the left-field line to tie the game. Andrew Evans followed with a hit to center, and Chris Dazzo delivered the third straight St. Charles East hit to bring home courtesy runner Oscar Perez for a 3-2 lead. Tyler Phillips later scored on a wild pitch, pushing the advantage to 4-2.

Barrington struck first in the bottom of the first, turning a two-out single and a double into a 1-0 lead. The Broncos threatened for more, but Saints third baseman Antonio Perez ended the inning with a backhand grab on a line drive and a strong throw. St. Charles East answered in the second when Niko Vahmistrovs and Daros opened the inning with back-to-back singles. Evans moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt, and Dazzo brought in the tying run with a groundout. Barrington went back in front in the third after a leadoff triple and an RBI groundout made it 2-1.

Fuscone led the Saints' offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, one run scored and two stolen bases. Daros finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Dazzo drove in two runs. Vahmistrovs scored once and Evans added a hit at the plate in addition to his work on the mound. Nate Moline also reached with a hit and a walk.

Evans earned the win, working 5.1 innings and allowing six hits and two earned runs. He walked one and struck out four as the game settled into a pitchers' duel after the fourth. Kyle LaRose closed it out for the save, covering the final 1.2 innings without allowing a hit. He walked one and struck out two to finish the game for St. Charles East.

The game was played under overcast skies at Barrington, with temperatures in the mid-50s and a 10 mph wind. The win was built on timely hitting, clean execution in the fourth inning and steady pitching at the end, with LaRose locking down the final five outs.