By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

BURBANK - Survive and advance. No. 2 St. Rita did just that at Ron Czarnecki Field in the first semifinal of the 2014 Class 4A Reavis Sectional, defeating No.12 Lyons Township 2-0. With the victory, the Chicago Catholic League Blue Division co-champs will move on to an 11am Saturday Reavis Sectional Championship Game date, with either CCL-Blue co-champion No. 3 St. Laurence (32-5) or CCL-Blue rival No.11 Mount Carmel (30-7). The Vikings and Caravan will battle on Thursday at 4:30 at Ron Czarnecki Field in Burbank.

The University of Notre Dame-bound Shepski (5-1) was magnificent in blanking the West Suburban Conference Silver Division co-champions from Lyons Township (27-9),. Shepski scattered just five singles and had seven punchouts to improve to 5-1 on the mound for the Mustangs.

“I pitched very well today and we are a proud program and to win the game was our top priority,” said Shepski. “Marty Bechina fought hard to get the leadoff single and then just stole the second run of the game for us.”

In the Mustang fourth, Shepski led off the inning with a walk against Lyons Township starting pitcher senior Sam Heilenbach (5-2). Courtesy runner-deluxe Matt Murawski promptly stole second and when advancing on a ball in the dirt to third base, danced merrily home with the first run of the game when the LT throw to third sailed into left field.

In the bottom of the fifth, it was Mustang junior shortstop Marty Bechina’s opportunity to steal the show. The slick-fielding Mustang shortstop fought off a two-strike pitch for a leadoff single. The fleet-footed Bechina promptly stole second base. Bechina swiped third and when the throw once again went into left field, Bechina scored a huge insurance run.

“This was playoff baseball. One never knows how you are to win. We scored a couple of ugly runs and Jake threw a gem for us,” said Bechina. “We really concentrate on our base running at St. Rita. We try to steal runs and it really worked out for us today. We have played both St. Laurence and Mount Carmel multiple times this year and know it will be a tough game, probably like this one was.”

Seemingly hrowing harder in the seventh than he was in the first inning, Shepski put Lion runners on first and second with one out. Shepski picked up his seventh punchout for the game for the second out of the inning and then dispatched the last LT hope on  a groundball to first baseman Nick Goldsmith.
“Survive and advance. We picked up a couple of strange runs today and Jake fired another masterpiece for us on the mound,” said St. Rita head coach Mike Zunica. “The six stolen bases we had were the key to the game and Marty Bechina did a great job in stealing the insurance run for us.

“St. Laurence. Mount Carmel. It doesn’t matter who we play on Saturday, the only important thing is that we have put ourselves in the position to win the sectional championship.”