By Drake Skleba

NAPERVILLE – A week ago, Montini started the 2012 IHSBCA/Phil Lawler Summer State Baseball Tournament with a 12-10-3 summer mark. The 12 wins earned the Broncos a No. 9 seed in the Glenbard South Regional.

On Monday at North Central College, the Broncos won for the fifth consecutive time with a 5-1 Elite 8 first-round victory over Jacobs (24-3-1). With the win, Montini (17-10-3)  advances to a winner's-bracket game with St. Laurence (18-2) at 10 o'clock Tuesday morning at Benedictine University in Lisle. St. Laurence outlasted Crystal Lake South 5-4 in nine innings on Monday at North Central.

The story of the Cinderella Broncos latest conquest was the four-hit pitching of Bronco senior RHP Chris Bartosz. Bartosz handcuffed the hard-hitting Golden Eagles over the first six innings allowing just one run. Bronco junior RHP Tyler Quick slammed the door on Jacobs with a scoreless seventh.

“Defense made the plays and we capitalized on their mistakes,” said Bartosz. “I was able to pitch out of a couple of jams by changing speeds well. I'm not going blow people away with my fastball but my change-up was my best pitch today.”

Bartosz and Jacobs starting pitcher senior RHP Nick Lidinsky were locked in a classic pitchers’ duel through five innings with Montini ahead 1-0. The Broncos plated their first run of the game in the fourth on an RBI double from senior RF Manny Georgitsis.

“We are really playing really well right now,” said Georgitsis. “The win over top-seeded Naperville Central in the regional and now this win over a top-seeded Jacobs club really has us believing we can go a long way.”

Montini added an unearned run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 2-0.

Jacobs cut the lead in half, 2-1, in the bottom of the sixth on a Bronco miscue off the bat of Golden Eagle senior Tim Mahoney.

Montini broke open the game in the top of the seventh. Bronco senior first-baseman Ben Dobosenski and Georgitsis picked up RBI in the three-run Montini seventh. Bronco junior shortstop Austin Klein had a double, single and scored a pair of runs to lead the Bronco attack.

Jacobs 6 Crystal Lake South 0

In a loser's bracket elimination-game the Golden Eagles bounced back and defeated their Fox Valley Conference Valley Division rivals from Crystal Lake South 6-0. Golden Eagle junior RHP Tim Hubner was magnificent on the mound for Jacobs (25-3) scattering five hits and allowing no runs over six innings.

“I was really feeling good today living a dream on the mound,” said Hubner. “I was working all my pitches today and threw a lot of strikes.”

Jacobs scored three times in the second to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Golden Eagle junior Ben Murray broke the game open with a two-run double in the fifth to give Jacobs a 5-0 lead. The Golden Eagles added a run in the bottom of the sixth to complete the scoring.

Golden Eagle senior catcher Aaron Mecij had two hits against CLS and had a fine 4-for-8 day in Naperville to lead the Golden Eagle's attack.

“Tim Hubner was outstanding for us today,' said Jacobs head coach Jamie Murray. “Tim doesn't throw the ball hard but he really knows how to pitch. I was happy to see Ben get the big two-run double for us to break open the game. We'll throw everybody we have tomorrow to try and advance.”

After battling St. Laurence for nine-thrilling innings in the opener, the Gators from Crystal Lake South had very little in the tank left for their rivals from Jacobs. CL South bows out after a highly-successful summer for head coach Brian Bogda. The defending FVC-Valley division co-champs will be a force “Down in the Valley” in 2013.

“After such a physically and mentally draining extra-inning game against a great St. Laurence team, my kids had nothing left. I am so proud of the way they were right there with St. Laurence and for the tremendous summer season they compiled.”