By Ryan Quigley
Area Scout

CHICAGO, IL – Mount Carmel senior left-handed pitcher Marko Boricich already has more state championships under his belt (two in football, one in baseball) than most high schools have total.  So it is no surprise that the southpaw would excel in pressure situations, and he did just that on a cold afternoon at Haggerty Field, throwing a complete game shutout as the No. 7 ranked Caravan defeated No. 14 Brother Rice 2-0 in the opening of Chicago Catholic League-Blue action.

Boricich, a Penn State recruit who’s ranked No. 45 in Illinois’ 2014 class, got himself in trouble early in the second, loading the bases with two hit batsmen and a walk with one out.  In what would become routine on the day, Boricich wiggled out of trouble with a strikeout looking and a groundout to first. 

In the bottom half of the second, a tough-luck Brother Rice defensive play put the Caravan on top 1-0.  Mount Carmel sophomore third basemen AJ Lewis (ranked No. 10 in Illinois’ class of 2016 and No. 43 overall) led off the inning with a line drive single past the second basemen.  A solid sacrifice bunt by uncommitted senior centerfielder Greg Ploszaj moved Lewis to second with one out.  After a flyout, sophomore shortstop Jeremy Houston (ranked no. 21 in Illinois’ class of 2016 and No. 84 overall) grounded sharply to Brother Rice senior third basemen Kevin Biondic (Maryland commit), who made a spectacular diving stab.  Biondic threw sharply from his knees to first to complete the web gem, but the errant throw short-hopped the first basemen and allowed Lewis to score from first, the only run Boricich would need all day.

Caravan senior left fielder Dave Dobrinich homered to right in the bottom half of the third off Brother Rice senior righty Brian Musielak (Concordia, IL commit) to make it 2-0.  Musielak impressed on the day, throwing all six innings, mixing up speeds and sinking his fastball; only allowing four hits, with no walks, and one strikeout to take the tough-luck loss.

Biondic led off the sixth with a double to right field, and Boricich answered the call by striking out the side, the final two looking with impressive curveballs, his go-to pitch on the day.

The Crusaders would mount one more attempt at a comeback in the top of the seventh.  Boricich struck out the leadoff hitter, but walked senior catcher Kyle Hilliard (Concordia, WI commit) on a 3-2 breaking ball.  Brother Rice senior shortstop Kevin Sullivan (Middle Tennessee State commit) struck out looking on a breaking ball in the dirt that displeased the Crusader faithful and coach John McCarthy.  With two outs, sophomore second basemen Mike Massey (Illinois commit), who finished 1-for-3 on the day with a single, laid off another 3-2 breaking ball down to walk.  A Boricich balk put the tying run on second base, but as he had all day in a 2-2 count the southpaw went back to the hammer, inducing sophomore leftfielder Andrew Dyke (ranked No. 12 in Illinois’ class of 2016, No. 48 overall) to ground out to short and end the ball game.

Boricich finished the complete game shutout, only allowing two hits, with 10 strikeouts (seven on curveballs), five walks, and three hit batsmen.

Stat Recap

+ Dave Dobrinich, Mount Carmel- 1-for-3, HR

+ Marko Boricich, Mount Carmel- 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 10 K, 5 BB, 3 HBP

+ Josh Stowers, Mount Carmel- 1-for-3, 2B

+ Malik Carpenter, Mount Carmel- 1-for-3, 1B

+ AJ Lewis, Mount Carmel- 1-for-3, 1B

+ Brian Musielak, Brother Rice- 6 IP, 2 R, 1 ER, 4H, 1 K, 0 BB

+ Mike Massey, Brother Rice- 1-for-3, 1B, BB

+ Kevin Biondic, Brother Rice- 1-for-3, 2B