By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

NEW LENOX – The ninth-annual WJOL Area Invitational Tournament began quarterfinal play at Providence Catholic and Joliet Junior College on Thursday. In the second game at Providence, defending tournament champion Minooka (1-1) defeated No. 3-ranked Joliet Catholic Academy 3-1.

Indian senior first baseman Max Brozovich had a perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Senior RHP Steve Szymanski (1-0) fired two scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.

With the win, Minooka (1-1) will play at Providence (2-1) on Saturday at 11:30 in the tournament semifinals. Providence hung on to defeat Plainfield Central 5-3 in the first game at home. 

Minooka struck in the bottom of the first against Joliet Catholic Academy starting pitcher senior RHP Sam Couch. Indian junior shortstop Neal Tyrell led off the inning with a walk and stole second base. Couch fanned the next two Indian hitters before Brozovich ripped a clutch two-out RBI double to give the Indians a 1-0 lead.

JCA (0-2) picked up an unearned run in the top of the fourth against Indian starting RHP junior Mitch Vogrin (4IP, 1R, 1H, 0ER, 4K, 2BB). Hilltopper junior second baseman Rylan Bannon’ s sac-fly plated sophomore Nick Dalesandro with the tying run. Dalesandro (1-for-2, R, BB) had walked with one out in the inning.

The top of the sixth was an inning of controversy, thanks to the men in blue. Dalesandro singled to lead off the top of the inning and was sacrificed to second by Holy Cross-bound catcher Alex Voitik. Bannon reached on an error to put Hilltopper runners on first and third with one out.

Senior Ira Hughes hit a grounder to Indian shortstop Tyrell who flipped to second baseman Nick Taylor for a force out. Taylor’s relay to first appeared to have just missed getting Hughes at first, resulting in Dalesandro crossing the plate with the lead run. Surprising to everyone, the field umpire emphatically called Hughes out to end the half inning and keep the game tied at 1-1.

In the bottom of the sixth, Tyrell hit a nubber that was fielded by JCA relief pitcher Kyle Polaski (0-1). Polaski fired the ball high to Hilltopper first baseman Ryan Peter, who showed off his basketball skills by leaping in the air and snaring the ball and executed a sweep tag on Tyrell for the first out of the inning. Again the base umpire emphatically called Tyrell safe, claiming Peter missed him with the tag.

Minooka junior Ty Desmarias and 2012 WJOL Area Invitational Tournament MVP senior Joe Carnagio singled to load the bases. Brozovich followed with a shot to center, scoring Tyrell. On the single to center, Desmarias was gunned-down at the plate by Hilltopper third baseman Jon Trotto, who fired a strike to Voitik. Senior catcher Dave Colvin drove in a big insurance run for Minooka with a groundout.

“This was a good win for us and we will celebrate it tonight,” said Brozovich. “We lost to Providence this week and are looking forward to playing them on Saturday.”

Szymanski gave up a double to JCA leadoff man Brock Pleuth with two out in the top of the seventh but ended the game with a flourish by striking out the final Hilltopper hitter.

“Max Brozovich is just a great athlete,” said Minooka head coach Jeff Petrovic. “Anything Max does he excels at. Steve Szymanski was our closer last season, so he was comfortable in that role today and was outstanding.”

“We hit the ball hard today, unfortunately right at people,” said JCA head coach Jared Voss. “Sam Couch was great for us today on the mound. I feel very confident in all of our pitchers. We have a number of great arms.” 

In other WJOL AREA INVITATIONAL quarterfinal action, Providence (2-1) defeated Plainfield Central 5-3 at Providence on Thursday. Plainfield South (1-0) romped past Joliet West 9-0 at Joliet Junior College. Lockport (3-1) crushed Joliet Central 9-0 at JJC on Thursday.

Check Friday’s Daily Roundup for game reports on the above games

WJOL AREA INVITATIONAL TOURNAMNENT SCHEDULE for Saturday March 30

@ Lockport

  9:00 Consolation Semifinal @ Lockport Joliet West (0-1) vs. Joliet Central (0-1)

11:30 Championship Semifinal @ Lockport-Lockport (3-1) vs. Plainfield South (1-0)

  9:00 Consolation Semifinal @ Providence-Plainfield Central (1-1) vs. JCA (0-2)

11:30 Championship Semifinal @ Providence- Providence (2-1) vs. Minooka (1-1)

12:00 @ Silver Cross Field Seventh-Place Game

  2:30 @ Silver Cross Field Fifth-Place Game

  5:00 @ Silver Cross Field Third-Place Game

  7:30 @ Silver Cross Field Championship Game.