PBR DAILY ROUNDUP AND SCHEDULES

May 30

By Drake Skleba

Class 4A/3A Sectional Semifinals

McHenry Sectional

South Elgin (21-12) surprised Rockton Hononegah 4-3 to advance to the Storm’s first-ever sectional championship game on Saturday. 6-foot-4, 195 pound Andrew Weedman had a clutch two-out two-run double in the first to get the Storm party started. Red-hot senior Jake Buhman had two hits and two RBI for South Elgin. Junior Adam Wolfe (5-3) picked up the win on the mound for the Storm.

Thursday 4:30: No. 24 Crystal Lake South (28-9) vs. Grant (22-12)

Schaumburg Sectional (Schaumburg Boomer Stadium)

Surprising Willowbrook continued to roll on Wednesday with a 3-1 win over Bartlett. Warrior junior ace Dave Cericola (8-1) fired a one-hitter at the Hawks with 11 strikeouts. The Warriors had only four hits and all three of their runs were unearned as Bartlett committed numerous defensive miscues.

Willowbrook (23-14) will meet Schaumburg in the Schaumburg Sectional Championship Game at 11 at Boomer Stadium in Schaumburg. The Warriors will be playing in their first sectional championship game since 1973.

Red-hot Schaumburg (25-12) defeated St. Charles East 4-1 behind a combined gem of a pitching performance from Saxon junior Max Paolicchi (6-3) and senior Matt Brancato. Paolicchhi shut down the Fighting Saints over the first 5 1/3 innings and then Brancato nailed down the save with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Brancato had two hits at the plate for the Saxons.

Evanston Sectional

No. 5 Maine South (32-5) smoked Central Suburban League South Division rival Niles West 10-0 in six-innings on Wednesday. UC (Riverside)-bound LHP John Forsythe (7-2) fired a no-no at the Wolves with six strikeouts.

Concordia University-bound 1B Nick Mitrovich, led the Hawk attack with three hits and five big RBI. Hawk senior Nick Calabrese fell a bomb short of hitting for the cycle. Calabrese had a perfect 4-for-4 day with singe, two doubles and a triple and scored three Hawk runs. University of Iowa bound Hawk C Jimmy Frankos, singled home a run in the first and junior Frankie Perrone was 2-for-2, including an RBI single.

Thursday     4:30 No. 21 New Trier (26-10) vs. Oak Park (26-10-1)

Glenbrook South Sectional

No. 4 Mundelein’s (34-4) senior CF Bryan Wiener ended the dreams of Cinderella Palatine (18-20), when his walk-off RBI single gave the Mustangs a thrilling 3-2 victory. The 34 wins is a new school record for Mundelein.
Read the story

Thursday  4:30: Stevenson (22-13) vs. Highland Park (18-19)  

Mount Carmel Sectional.

Defending Class 4A State champions Lyons Township (24-12-1) trounced St. Laurence 8-3. (See Drake Skleba’s story)

Thursday 4:30 No. 6 Mount Carmel (31-5) vs. No. 16 St. Rita (24-12)-Guru

Andrew Sectional

No.22 Marist (27-11) spotted No. 3 Providence a 4-0 lead and roared back to stun the Celtics 9-5. University of Notre Dame-bound LHP Mike Hearne (9-4) allowed four first-inning runs to the Catholic Blue champions and then settled down to fire a 10-hitter at the Celtics.
Read the Story

Thursday 4:30: Lincoln-Way North (32-5) vs. H-F (22-12) 4:30

Illinois Wesleyan Sectional

Minooka (25-13) slipped past Moline 4-3 in nine thrilling innings, behind Indian junior Joe Carnagio. Carnagio singled to tie the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the seveth with two outs. In the bottom of the ninth, Carnagio did it again with a walk-off single that sent Indian Nation flying up I-55.

Minooka will meet No. 11 O’ Fallon on Saturday at 11 at IWU for the sectional championship.

Wednesday No. 11 O’ Fallon (31-7) defeated rival Edwardsville for the third time this season, ending the Tigers season 3-2 on Wednesday. Panther ace RHP Sam Hopkins fired an eight-hitter at the Tigers and improved to 11-1 on the season. Hopkin’s ERA rose to a minuscule 1.00. Panther sophomore Jeff Hahs, senior Cory Beyersdorfer and Hopkins, drove home the three Panther runs.

Romeoville Sectional

No. 25 Naperville Central (25-12) surprised No.8 Plainfield North 4-3, with a little help from the men in blue. With the game tied at 2-2, in the top of the fifth, the Redhawks scored the lead-run on balk calls on University of Notre Dame-bound RHP Joey Cresta (9-1).

The first balk call led to the ejection of North head coach John Darlington and the second balk call plated Redhawk courtesy runner junior John Avers, to give NC a 3-2 lead. The Redhawks scored another run in the fateful fifth and hung on for a 4-3 victory.

Redhawk ace RHP Ian Lewandowski (8-1), picked up the win the mound for Naperville Central.

Controversial calls by the men in blue are becoming much to frequent in IHSA State Tournament play the last couple of years.

Thursday     4:30 No. 24 Neuqua Valley (30-7) vs. Metea Valley (18-18)

Class 3A

Mahomet-Seymour Sectional

Danville (21-14) outlasted Normal West 5-4 in nine thrilling innings on Wednesday. Trailing 4-1 in the top of the seventh, the Vikings unloaded on Normal West ace junior RHP Alex Jefferson (9-1). Jefferson, who entered the game in the sixth, was touched up for a two-run bomb from Viking C Chuckie Robinson. Red-hot senior Tanner McQuown followed with a game-tying bomb to send the game to extra innings.

Viking senior C Reece Imler, singled home Robinson, who had singled to lead-off the ninth, with game-winner. Viking junior Chase Thurston allowed one run over his 8 2/3 innings of outstanding relief to pick up the win on the mound for the Vikings.

Thursday 4:00 No.22 Morton (30-7) vs. Springfield SHG (26-11)            

Mattoon Sectional

No. 15 Troy-Triad (30-8) scored the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh to stun Chatham Glenwood 6-5. Knight senior Andrew Range drove home three big runs for Triad. Senior Blake Thomas had three hits and plated a pair for the Knights. Senior C Dylan Johnson had two hits and an RBI.

Senior ace RHP Ty Lewis (9-1) allowed one earned run and fired a five-hitter at Glenwood (31-8).

Mattoon (24-13) slipped past Mississippi Valley Conference member Waterloo 3-2 on Wednesday night. The Green Wave will host Mississippi Valley Conference champion No. 15 Troy Triad (30-8), for the sectional championship on Saturday afternoon at 1. 

La Salle-Peru Sectional

No. 23 La Salle-Peru (31-6) blanked Northern Illinois Big 12 West rival Geneseo 8-0 behind Cavalier sophomore RHP Noah Lamboley. Lamboley (6-1) fired a two-hitter at the Maple Leafs. Cavalier Casey Huebbe hammered a shot that left the premises at Veterans Park in Peru. Junior Kyle Jenkins doubled and drove in three runs for L-P.

Western Big Six champion Galesburg (28-10) prevented an all-NIB 12-West championship game on Saturday by outslugging Ottawa 9-7. Silver Streak junior Tanner Guss had a big two-run double for Galesburg. Senior Zach Riley had a clutch two-RBI single to give the Streaks a 9-5 lead they would not relinquish.

Silver Streak ace Tim Rossell (11-0), went the distance for Galesburg, who will meet the hosts from La Salle-Peru at 11 o’clock at Veterans Park in Peru for the sectional championship.

Sycamore Sectional

Freeport beat Marmion 5-1. Does anyone know Freeport’s record? 

Thursday  4:00 Prairie Ridge (27-9) vs. Burlington Central (26-10)

Glenbard South Sectional

No. 23 Nazareth (28-9) blasted Glenbard South 8-2 behind senior LHP Dominic Purpura (7-1). Purpura lost his no-hit bid in the seventh inning. Sophomores Steve DalPorto and Jake Bartels led the Roadrunner attack. Dal Porto had a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate with two doubles and Bartels had two hits and an RBI

Thursday  4:30 St. Joseph (24-13) vs. Clemente (22-9)

Grayslake Central Sectional

Grayslake Central (29-9) outslugged Lakes 11-7, behind Ram junior Ryan Fontana. Fontana, had three hits, including a two-run blast and plated four Ram

runs.

Thursday     4:00 Vernon Hills (28-8) vs. St. Viator (21-16)

Chicago Washington Sectional

No. 18 Simeon (30-7) blasted Jones 10-0 behind the Wolverines University of Iowa-bound C Blake Hickman. Hickman went deep twice and drove home five for the CPS Champions. Sophomore RHP Darius Day improved to 8-0 on the season with a one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts.

Oakland University-bound Shane Brown plated three Wolverine runs with three hits and junior Elbert Dunnigan chipped in with a pair of doubles and had an RBI.  

Thursday 4:15 Harlan (24-9) vs. Kenwood (15-15)  

Lincoln-Way West Sectional

Marian Catholic (21-17) rallied past No. 24 Oak Forest 7-5 (See Sean Duncan’s story)

No. 1 JCA (30-8-1) was stunned by host Lincoln-West (24-13) 3-0

(See Sean Duncan’s story)

Lincoln-Way West will host Marian Catholic in the sectional championship game on Saturday morning at 11.