By Drake Skleba

LISLE/NAPERVILLE - A defending IHSBCA/Lawler Summer State Classic champion, two schools that finished second and third, respectively, in Class 4A this spring, and a Chicago Catholic League Blue powerhouse compromise the Final Four of the 38^th IHSBCA/Lawler Summer State Tournament. Defending IHSBCA/Phil Lawler Classic champion Lyons Township, Libertyville, St. Rita and St. Charles East all won on Tuesday to play in the semifinals on Wednesday at Benedictine University in Lisle at 5 and 7:30.

Defending champ Lyons Township (25-6) destroyed Minooka 10-0 in six innings behind 2012 Lawler Classic All-Tournament Selection senior LHP Max Larsen. Larsen fired a four-hit shutout at the Indians and put an end to the proceedings with a dramatic three-run bomb to right to give the Lions a 10-0 six inning win at Benedictine.

Larsen doubled home the first Lion run of the game, giving us an early indication that Tuesday would be a special day for Max. Minooka’s SS Neal Tyrell singled to lead off the ball game. Minooka would not get another hit off Larsen until the fifth. Larsen settled for a four-hit masterpiece.

With LT leading 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth, with no outs and two mates aboard, the 5-foot-8, 160 pound Larsen hammered a bomb over the right field wall sending the small Lion contingent back to Western Spring very happy.

“Yeah, Max had quite a day for us,” said Lyons Township Hall of Fame coach George Ushela.

He pitched an outstanding game for us and then ends the game with his big hit.”

With the win LT clinched the top seed of the North Central College bracket and will meet St. Charles East, the runner-up in the Benedictine bracket at five in Lisle on Wednesday night.

You can watch the game LIVE at www.prepbaseballreport.highschoolcube.com.

Libertyville (18-4), which finished runner-up in 4A last spring. which finished runner-up in 4A last spring. defeated St. Charles East, 5-2 in a championship quarterfinal at Benedictine. again, this time in a championship quarterfinal on Tuesday at Benedictine 5-2.  

RHP Andrew Mack threw a four-hit gem for the Wildcats. Mack allowed St. Charles East (19-13) two runs in the bottom of the third and then blanked the Saints the rest of the way. Libertyville junior RF Ben Manski put the ‘Cats up 1-0 with an RBI single in the first. Libertyville added a run in the third to increase its lead to 2-0. The Fighting Saints tied things up on back-to-back RBI doubles from junior Jake Clodi and senior Ben Smith in the bottom of the third.

Libertyville junior C Nick Rossetti, who had a 3-for3 day at the plate, tripled home the eventual game-winning run in the top of the fourth. Libertyville added another run in the fourth to regain their two-run lead at 4-2. In the seventh, Monday’s winning pitcher junior LHP Mitch Townsend singled home the final run of the game for the Wildcats. 

St. Charles East (20-13) bounced back from their loss to Libertyville by blanking Glenbrook North 5-0 behind a one-hitter from RHP Mike Boehmer. Boehmer allowed a one-out hit in the first to Glenbrook North’s CF Dave Simon. Boehmer went on to retire 20 of the next 21 batters he faced. Simon reached again on a Fighting Saint miscue to leadoff the Spartan fourth inning. Boehmer proceeded to retire the last 12 Spartan batsmen he faced.

The Saints picked up three runs on a Spartan miscue with the bases loaded, to grab a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Senior RF Mike Candre’s RBI triple and senior 3B Alex Abate’s sac-fly in the sixth concluded the story. 

 

Glenbrook North  bows out after a successful 17-8-1 summer for the Central Suburban League Champs.

St. Rita (14-5) avenged a 3-1 first round loss to Minooka on Monday, defeating the Indians 4-2 on Tuesday. With the win head coach Mike Zunica’s Mustangs will meet Libertyville at 7:30 on Wednesday in Semifinal 2 at Benedictine.

After Minooka picked up a first inning run, Mustang senior AJ Fuller picked a very good time for his first tournament hit. With two outs in the top of the seventh, Mustang senior 3B Jake Drada doubled. Fuller then launched a bomb over the left field wall for a 2-1 Mustang lead.

Notre Dame-bound senior DH/RHP Jake Shepski duplicated Fuller’s feat with fellow senior LF Chris Delgadillo aboard, for a 4-1 Mustang lead in the bottom of the third.

Shepski relieved St. Rita starting pitcher junior Matt Ryan with two-out and two on in the Minooka third. Minooka’s Joe Butler singled home the second Indian run to cut the Mustang lead to 4-2 after 3. 

Shepski proceeded to blank the Indians over the next 3 2/3 inings. Shepski fanned six and qualified for the win. The win was Shepski’s second of the tournament, having been the winning pitcher, in St. Rita’s 11-3 win over Plainfield East on Monday. Shepski has pitched in all three Mustang games allowing no runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Austin Peay-bound senior LHP Mike Costanzo relieved Shepski with one on and one out in the seventh. The future Governor lefty nailed down the save by retiring the two Indian batters he faced, striking out the final hitter of the game.

You can watch the game LIVE at www.prepbaseballreport.highschoolcube.com