By Sean Duncan

JOLIET ? Think No. 1 Providence may have come out tight Friday in the Class 4A state semifinals against a surprising Prospect club? Perhaps buckled under the pressure of being the preseason No. 1 team, a position the Celtics held throughout most of the season?

You know, the old David vs. Goliath mumbo-jumbo?

Yeah, right.

The Celtics showed exactly why they?re the top-ranked team in the state by thoroughly dismantling Prospect 9-1 to advance to Saturday?s Class 4A state championship game against No. 2 Lyons Township at Silver Cross Field.

Senior third baseman Sam Travis, who?s been the best hitter in the state for the entire year, didn?t waste any time sending an emphatic message to the Mid-Suburban League champs. In the top of the first inning, roughly 10 minutes into the contest, Travis launched a taper-shot blast to left-center field to stake the Celtics to a 1-0 advantage.

?I just tried to hit the ball hard, put it into play and get some momentum for us,? said Travis, an Indiana University recruit who now has 16 home runs and 73 RBI. ?It worked out pretty well.?

Indeed, but it was far from the Sam Travis show. Seven Providence starters collected hits, five of which drove in at least one run.

The offense was more than enough for senior left-hander Matt Trowbridge (9-0), a Central Michigan recruit who threw a crisp 78-pitch complete game. Trowbridge yielded only four hits, struck out four and walked one behind a mid-to-upper-80s fastball and a three-pitch repertoire. Trowbridge consistently worked ahead in the count and allowed Providence?s rock-solid defense to make the plays behind him. The Celtics did not commit an error.

?It was almost like the game was in fast forward,? said Trowbridge, who at one point retired 10 consecutive batters. ?I knew they were an aggressive, first-pitch hitting team. ? I was just pounding the zone early.?

The Celtics put the game away for good in the third inning when they scored five runs on four hits and three walks. After Trowbridge opened the inning with a walk, junior outfielder Brady Wilkin and Kevin DeFilippis laid down bunt hits to load the bases. Senior shortstop Joe Houlihan lofted his first of two sacrifice flies to right field, then Travis was intentionally walked before senior catcher Dan Potempa ripped a run-scoring single.

Senior outfielder Dominic Olszta then dealt the big blow with a two-run single, giving Providence a 6-0 advantage.

The left-handed hitting Wilkin, a Bradley University recruit who can flat-out fly, finished with two hits, including a triple, and scored two runs. Potempa added two hits.

?We played extremely well today,? said Providence coach Mark Smith. ?I?m very proud of the boys. We played great defense and Matt pounded the zone.?

Prospect (26-9) was paced by senior centerfielder Peter Bonahoom, who went 2-for-3 with a double and scored on Jack Landwehr?s groundout in the fourth inning. Prospect will play Mount Carmel in the third-place game at roughly 3 p.m.