4A Maine East Regional: Oak Park-River Forest Survives Scare From Maine East

PARK RIDGE, IL - The IHSA playoffs continued on Wednesday afternoon as the top seed, in the Wilmette (Loyola Academy) Sectional, Oak Park-River Forest took on Maine East. LHP Antoine Kelly (Central Arizona JC commit) and Maine East gave OPRF all they could handle. It looked as if they game was destined for extra innings until SS Brian May (DePauw commit) stepped to the plate with a runner on first and one out in the bottom of the seventh. May connected on a 90 mph fastball from Kelly and sent the ball sailing over the left field fence for a two-run walk-off home run, sending the Husky bench into a frenzy and punching their ticket to the Regional Final.

OPRF starting pitcher Brendan Barrette (Parkland CC commit) and Kelly went back-and-forth all game, matching each other pitch-for-pitch. Both pitchers were able to effectively locate their fastballs inside and out, leaving nothing over the plate for hitters to get a piece of. Kelly’s fastball, which was still up to 94 mph in the seventh, was too much for the Huskies’ offense, as he punched out 14 batters.  His final line would be 6.1 Innings, 3H, 2R, 1BB, 14 K's.

On the other side, Barrette attacked the Maine East lineup with a high volume of strikes, forcing them to swing the bats and inducing weak contact. Barrette held his own against the power of Kelly, touching 87 and 88 with his own fastball. Maine East managed only one hit off Barrette, coming on a bunt single by Joe Gaiser. Barrette would pick up the win, tossing seven shutout innings, allowing one hit, walking three and striking out 12.

Brian May's two-run walk off home run would be the difference for the Huskies. Sophomore Dylan Whitney and right fielder Andrew Nielson both collected base hits in the winning effort as well.  Oak Park-River Forest will continue on their quest for a Regional championship as they will take on the winner of Maine West v Maine South in the regional final on Saturday.