Chicago Christian Heading To State After Shutting Out Timothy Christian

May 29, 2017

By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Chicago Christian 7, Timothy Christian 0

LISLE, IL – Chicago Christian has had a historic season and took it one step further on Monday. The Knights shut out Timothy Christian 7-0 in a Super-Sectional matchup at Benedictine University and will be heading to state in Class 2A for the first time in school history.

Starting pitcher, John Vander Wall was in total control on the mound for Chicago Christian (39-1). The senior right-hander, threw seven shutout innings, scattering two hits, striking out seven and did not walk a batter. Vander Wall only needed 79 pitches in the complete game effort and did not allow a Timothy Christian (19-11) baserunner past second base in the contest.

Vander Wall also delivered the back-breaking hit in the bottom of the fifth inning for Chicago Christian. Vander Wall stepped to the plate with a 4-0 lead, two outs and the bases loaded. Vander Wall proceeded to line a ball down the left-field line which got by the left fielder and cleared the bases for a double and an insurmountable 7-0 lead.

The Knights struck in the bottom of the second inning when senior shortstop Zach Frieling, a St. Louis commit, took the first pitch he saw and deposited it over the left-field fence for a solo homerun and 1-0 lead. Chicago Christian tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning thanks to a two-out error that scored Frieling and Dan Vos. Vos and Frieling had led off the frame with back-to-back singles.

Vos, a Trinity Christian commit, and Frieling led the way offensively for Chicago Christian. Vos went 2-for-2 with an RBI, two runs scored and a walk. Frieling went 2-for-2 as well with a homerun, three runs scored, an RBI and a walk.

Brian Schiff and Connor Gwaltney had the lone hits for Timothy Christian.

Chicago Christian will play in the Class 2A state semi-final game on Friday at Dozer Park in Peoria. They will face the winner of St. Joe-Ogden and Quincy Notre Dame, who are facing off in the Springfield Super-Sectional Monday evening.

For more in-depth notes from the game - and all other games that we cover - visit the Illinois Scout Blog later.