Marmion outlasts Montini in 10 innings

May 5, 2014

By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

AURORA - The top two teams in the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division put on quite a show for a large crowd at Joe Nardone Field, on the campus of Marmion Academy. In 10 exhilarating innings, Marmion outlasted Montini, 2-1, to open up a two-game lead on the Broncos in the Blue Division race.

Marmion senior Tyler Eberth ripped a single to left to lead off the bottom of the tenth for the Cadets. After the next two Cadet batters were retired by Montini’s junior reliever Jordan Lazowski, Eberth swiped second, setting the stage for senior catcher Brady Roberts. Roberts, who had hit the ball hard all day for naught, picked a great time for his one and only hit of the game.

Roberts hammered a towering drive to right that kept carrying over the Bronco right fielder and dropped on the warning track for the walk-off single, scoring Eberth with the Cadet game-winner.

Roberts’ game winner sent Cadet Nation storming onto Butterfield Road for a large victory celebration.

“I was just waiting for a pitch to hit. He wasn’t throwing as a hard as Frontzak so I waited back and hit the ball well for the game-winner,” said Roberts. “First walk-off winner in my career. It really felt good. Alex Troop was just great today and it is a ton of fun to catch him every day.”

The game began as a classic pitchers’ duel between Marmion’s Michigan State-bound lefty Alex Troop and Montini’s senior right-hander Eric Frontzak. Montini (14-3; 8-2) scored in the first inning on a RBI double to right by senior Austin Kline, scoring senior Eddie Bava, who had walked. Over the next seven innings, Troop, did not allow a hit and ended up striking out 14 Bronco batters. Marmion tied the game at 1-1 in the third on an RBI, single from Zach Siwiec.

Troop had two singles and a triple in three official trips to the plate and made a game-saving catch in centerfield in the top of the tenth. Other than that, the future Spartan didn’t do much today.

“Truly incredible. That was one of the greatest baseball games I have ever played in,” said Troop. “With first place at sake that was a tremendous victory for us. My fastball was really moving today and I really pitched well. It was nice to have the 3-for-3 day at the plate due to the fact I had been in a little slump as of late.”

Lazowski relieved Frontzak in the eighth. Frontzak allowed one run and four hits with five strikeouts in his stellar seven innings of work.

Marmion’s senior Garrett Fisher (1-0) pitched two hitless innings to pick up his first win of the season with two strikeouts.

“My job on this team is to enter the game and throw strikes and that’s what did,” said Fisher. “I don’t walk people and I thought I pitched really well today.” .

The two clubs will do battle Tuesday in Lombard at 4:30.

“It was just an awesome victory for the kids,” said Marmion head coach Dave Rakow. “It’s not very often that you defeat the opponent you are battling with for a conference championship in walk-off fashion at home. I told the kids to settle back and enjoy this one. I was glad to see Brady have success today. Alex (Troop) is a special player for us. He has come through for us all year. … Fish (Fisher) did a great job for us in relief.”

Marmion outlasts Montini in 10 innings

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