By Sean Duncan

LISLE - Nazareth Academy was feeling good about itself after the Roadrunners opened the Phil Lawler Classic semifinal game on Wednesday night with four runs at Benedictine University. That warm and fuzzy feeling subsided quickly, though, as St. Laurence responded with seven runs in the bottom of the first.

That’s right, 11 runs, eight hits and five walks in the first inning alone. But Nazareth ace Ryan Powers came into relief early to restore normalcy, and the Roadrunners rallied with five runs in the sixth inning to upend St. Laurence 13-10.

With the win, Nazareth advances to Thursday night’s championship game of the IHSBCA summer state tournament at Benedictine University, where it will play the winner of the Neuqua Valley-Streamwood semifinal game. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“The kids could’ve easily folded,” said Nazareth coach Lee Milano, whose team advanced to the Class 3A supersectionals in the spring. “The kids showed what they were made of.”

Powers, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound senior right-hander, came into relief in the first inning after St. Laurence DH Brian Cummane launched a towering three-run homer to give the Vikings a 7-4 advantage. Behind an 85-88 mph fastball, Powers kept St. Laurence’s high-yielding offense in check the rest of the way, allowing six hits and three earned runs in 6.2 innings. Powers struck out three and walked three.

“I just had to come in and go to work,” said Powers, who also had two hits, including a two-run double in the first inning. “It was a total team effort.”

With Nazareth trailing 10-8 in the sixth, St. Laurence brought in PBR All-State left-hander Kyle Wood, who had pitched an eight-inning complete game on Monday against Providence. Nazareth responded with five runs behind two hits, three walks and an error. Nazareth senior shortstop Michael Barajas dealt the big blow with a bases-clearing triple to centerfield to give the Roadrunners a 13-10 advantage.

“We had so many great at-bats that inning, culminated by Barajas’ hit,” said Milano.

Barajas finished the game 2-for-3 with two walks, a double, triple, four RBI and two runs scored. He reached base all five plate appearances. Senior third baseman Anthony Baldassano went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and three runs, and senior catcher Justin Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a double. In all, Nazareth tallied 12 hits against five St. Laurence pitchers.

Junior first baseman Brandon Mallder paced St. Laurence with three hits, including a two-run single in the third inning. Mike Chimera added two hits and sophomore Kevin Smith had a two-run single in the first inning.