4A Arlington Heights Sectional: Buffalo Grove Walks-off Warren, Libertyville Silences St. Viator
June 1, 2018
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL - The Arlington Heights Sectional, hosted by St. Viator High School, kicked off Thursday afternoon with a doubleheader. Game one featured #1 seed Buffalo Grove taking on #6 seed Warren, while game two matched up #10 seed St. Viator and #3 seed Libertyville.
Buffalo Grove prevailed over Warren in dramatic walk-off fashion. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, 1B Mac Camardo stepped up to the plate looking for his third hit and RBI of the game. Camardo connected on a hard ground ball up the middle that was corralled by a diving Warren 2B Mikey Kocen, but no play could be made, scoring the game winner.
There was only one inning in which a run was not scored in this game. Warren started the game off with a leadoff double by Danny Ahn. Ahn would come around to score later in the inning on a Mikey Kocen groundout. Buffalo Grove responded with a run of their own on a Camardo double, scoring TJ Consertina in the first and Tyler Concialdi added another run for the Bison in the second, giving them the 2-1 lead.
Warren was able to tie the game up at 2-2 in the fourth inning thanks to a Sam Deluca double, scoring Mikey Kocen who led the inning off with a double of his own. But the Bison grabbed the 3-2 lead once again when Camardo delivered his second hit and RBI of the game. The Blue Devils did the dance again and tied the game up once more, at 3-3.
The Blue Devils finally broke through for their first lead of the game in the sixth inning, when they put up three runs to lead 6-3. Nate Rentas highlighted the offensive output with a leadoff home run to right field in the inning. Buffalo Grove was able to cut the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom half of the sixth. Riley Rundquist drove a run in on a single, and then a Rio Komatani sacrifice fly brought in Zach Fricke.
Fricke, who came in to pitch in relief, got the Bison through a scoreless top half of the seventh, setting up the dramatic bottom half. Fricke tied the game up himself on an RBI double after Concialdi reached base on a hit by pitch. A walk to Consertina and Rundquist wearing his second pitch of the day, loaded the bases with one out. Camardo delivered the game winner on an 0-2 count, giving him a 3-for-4 day with a 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB.
Fricke picked up the win, going two innings in relief, allowing one run, striking out three and walking three. He also finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a 2B, an RBI, BB. Carter Gledhill also had a multi-hit day with a pair of singles.
The wild and crazy nature of game one was replaced by a true pitcher’s duel in game two. Libertyville’s Colin Fields and St. Viator’s Jack Mahoney went back and forth for seven innings, but in the end, a lone unearned run in the sixth inning was the difference, as Libertyville prevailed 1-0.
Wildcats’ starting pitcher Colin Fields was on top of his game all day, showing complete command of his arsenal. On the other side, Jack Mahoney was dialed in, pitching to contact, letting his defense do the work behind him.
The sixth inning began with a leadoff walk to senior second baseman Tommy Rigali. Rigali advanced to second base on a single to right field by Griffin Murphy. With no outs and men on first and second, Tim Jean hit a fly ball into center field that was caught by St. Viator CF Connor Warner. Rigali attempted to tag and take third, but a perfect throw by Warner gunned him down. Murphy advanced to second on the throw though, giving the Wildcats a man on second with two outs.
Luke Plunkett did all he needed to, hitting the ball hard and on the ground, giving Murphy a chance. The grounder forced St. Viator SS Hunter Johnson to make a charging play to his glove side, but he was unable to make the plate as the ball scooted under his glove and into the outfield.
Fields make quick work of the Lions’ offense in the seventh, sending them down in order on two groundouts and a strikeout looking on a curveball. Fields finished allowing only two hits, striking out nine and walking one. Murphy, Plunkett, and Tanner Kelly were responsible for the Wildcats’ three hits on the day.
For the Lions, Mahoney went six innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits, striking out one and walking one. Casey Kmet and Casey Pulikowski collected the only two hits for the Lions off of Fields.
Buffalo Grove and Libertyville will meet Saturday morning at 11:00 AM at St. Viator High School.
RELATED CONTENT