Carmel's Maloney set for pros

A sore-armed Eric Maloney plodded through a 3-1 victory for aCarmel sweep Saturday at Marist and afterward declared himselfsignable for the major-league draft in June.

Maloney felt a twinge below his bicep when he came in to save a4-3 victory for Carmel (15-2, 4-0) in the East Suburban Catholic.The 6-3 right-hander, considered a possible first-round draft choiceand the area's top prospect, pitched a complete game in Game 2 with11 strikeouts. But scouts clocked his fastball in the low tomid-80s. Maloney has been clocked in the 90s.

"When I came in relief, the pitch that (Bob Luzzo) flied out on(to end Game 1), I hurt my arm," Maloney said. "I didn't have enoughtime to warm up. Not until the last two innings of the second gamedid I feel loose."

Maloney struck out the side in the sixth and induced a popout,strikeout and slow roller to first in the seventh to nail down his fourth victory despite not having hisbest fastball.

"I've had times where I pitched both ends of a doubleheaderbefore, so I'm used to that," Maloney said. "I was just trying tokeep them off balance."

Marist (8-9, 0-4) used six steals, two bunt singles and oneinfield single to take a 3-0 lead on starter Jim Cooney in Game 1.But Marist pitcher Ray DeYoung's (2-5) best effort of the year wasruined when Carmel cashed three errors for four runs in the sixth.

Maloney was summoned in the seventh inning after Marist's MattGainer doubled with two out.

"Marist took us out of our game with their bunting," Carmelcoach Chuck Gandolfi said, "but our kids hung in there."

In Game 2, all Maloney needed was a three-run home run in thesecond inning by Matt Simmons. When it was over, Maloney made itclear that he may sign despite his mother's wish that he honor hisverbal commitment to Creighton.

"I'm not set on Creighton," Maloney said. "I think she's alittle scared about her little boy. She doesn't want me to pass upmy college years. But it depends on what round and the money. Moneyis the name of the game. To play in the pros is my dream. If I havea chance to sign and get to the pros, I'll be able to work with thebest."