Class 4A and 3A State Semifinal Preview

By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

On Friday at Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet, the Final Four Weekend in Illinois baseball will commence at 10 a.m. In one of the wildest state tournament in years, only South Seven Conference champ Mount Vernon won its respective conference championship of the eight schools to make it to Joliet. With the exception of frequent visitors Joliet Catholic Academy, Mount Carmel and Neuqua Valley, the other five schools were truly “On the Bubble” in 2013.

The first of two Class 3A Semifinals will start things off with a pair of surprising visitors to Joliet. Both the Rams of Grayslake Central and the surprising Spartans of Wheaton St. Francis defeated top programs to get to Silver Cross Field.

In the second Class 3A Semifinal, Joliet Catholic Academy returns to Silver Cross Field, just four miles from the Hilltopper’s Larkin Avenue campus, for the fourth time in six years to meet Mount Vernon at around 1. The South Seven Champs from Mount Vernon have the longest bus-ride (250 miles) of the eight schools to reach Joliet.

In the first Class 4A semifinal on Friday around 4, No. 1 Mount Camel will face-off with No. 8 Neuqua Valley. The final game of the day, as in our first game of the day, features a pair of surprise guests to Joliet, the Fighting Saints of St. Charles East and the Libertyville Wildcats, at around 7.

CLASS 3A SEMIFINAL 1

NO. 23 GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL vs. WHEATON ST. FRANCIS,   FRIDAY 10 AM

GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL (26-13) - Head coach Troy Whalen brings the surprising Rams to Silver Cross Field after a North Central College Supersectional no-hitter from Ram ace Kevin Peloza (8-0; 0.65; 85K; 74IP). The Rams stunned perennial visitor to Joliet, Nazareth Academy (27-12-1) on Monday 4-0, in Naperville. The Ram senior left-hander was magnificent on Monday in leading the Rams to the Final Four. Grayslake Central rolls into Joliet on an eight-game winning streak

6-foot-6 senior RHP Jake Spicer (8-3-2.46) and sophomore LHP Justin Guyrn (3-0-2.84-36K-24IP) lead the Ram’s pitching staff.

Senior Kyle Balling leads the Rams offensive attack hitting at a .407 clip with 22 RBI. Juniors Kyle Clark (.355-1HR-25RBI) and Freddie Landers (.278-26RBI) provided added punch to the Ram lineup.

In his 11th year Ram head coach Troy Whalen has compiled a 252-152 record  at the Lake County school from the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division. The Rams finished third in their only other Class 3A state final appearance in 2009.

WHEATON ST. FRANCIS (24-11) - St. Francis head coach Rich Janor brings the Spartans to their first state final experience in 2013. The Spartans surprised the third-ranked Redbirds of Metamora (32-6) in the Augustana College Supersectional 7-3, on Monday.

The Spartans are led by their sophomore ace Jason Sullivan. Sullivan was the winning pitcher on Monday and enters the finals with an 8-1 record with a 1.75 ERA. Senior Jack Petrando (6-1-1.83) and senior LHP Andy Brundage 204-2.47) round out the Spartan staff. Petrando (.370-21RBI), senior Josh Croci (.320-25RBI) and Sullivan (.317-14RBI) are the big run producers for the Spartans.

Janor, in his tenth year at the DuPage County school has compiled a 190-145 record at the Suburban Christian Conference Blue Division power.

CLASS SEMIFINAL 2

NO. 5 JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY vs. NO. 20 MOUNT VERNON, 1 PM

JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY (25-14) - Head coach Jared Voss, brings his Hilltoppers across town for the fourth time in six years. The Hilltoppers rallied past a solid Chicago Harlan nine 5-3, to win the Crestwood Standard Bank Stadium Supersectional on Monday.

The Hilltoppers are led by their amazing senior ace RHP Sam Couch (5-1- 1.21-67K-58IP). Couch has fired three consecutive shutouts to lead the Hilltoppers back home. Couch fired a no-hitter at Lemont in the Class 3A Lemont Regional Championship game. Couch had a let-down against Evergreen Park in the Providence Catholic Sectional Championship game on Saturday; he fired only a two-hit shutout with only 15 strikeouts.

The Hillltoppers are solid on the mound with sophomore RHP Nick Dalesandro (6-2-2.02-52K-48IP) and senior RHP Cal Placher (7-4-2.25 ERA). Dalesandro picked up the win against Harlan and Placher who fired three scoreless inings in relief to nail down the save.

The Hilltopper attack is led by their Western Illinois-bound SS Chris Tschida. A 2012 PBR All-State Selection, Tschida opened up the 2013 campaign 4-for-28. Since the future-Leatherneck’s slow start, Chris has been tearing the cover off the ball at a .488 clip raising his average to .392. Tschida has 12 doubles five triples three homers and 30 RBI. Dalesandro checks in at .371 with 26 RBI and Holy Cross-bound senior C Alex Voitik has a .352 average with 21 ribbies.

This is the 12th appearance at state for the Will County Carmelite co-ed, college-prep school. The Hilltoppers finished second in 1990 and took home the state championship trophy back to Joliet in 1994, under the legendary Joe Rodeghero.

This is the sixth appearance at state under Voss. The Hilltoppers were second in 2000 & 2004. The Hilltoppers finished third in 2008. In 2009, Voss was finally able to win the big one, taking home the Class 3A State Championship trophy to Larkin Avenue. In 2010 the Hilltoppers finished fourth, giving Voss the complete-set; championship, second, third and fourth place trophies in his illustrious career. Voss, in his 15th season has compiled a 385-166-1 record at the East Suburban Catholic Conference power.

MOUNT VERNON (31-8-1) - Mount Vernon head coach Tim Holloway and his South Seven Conference Champion Rams will gladly make the 250-mile bus-ride to Joliet from beautiful Jefferson County on Thursday night. The Rams dispatched Bloomington 6-1 on Tuesday, in a rain-delayed Sauget GCS Ballpark Supersectional championship in Sauget.

The Rams are led by their 6-foot-4 junior ace RHP Brock Fulkerson. The Rams’ big-game pitcher is 11-2 with a fine 1.76 ERA. The majority of Fulkerson’s 11 victories were in big-game situations for the Rams. Tuesday’s winning pitcher Tyler Ellis (8-2-2.01) and senior LHP Landon Thomas (5-2-2.52-43K-42IP) round out the solid Ram staff.

6-foot-2 205 pound senior Colten Meador is hitting at a .333 clip with two bombs and 31 RBI. Thomas can hit too as his team-leading .346 average with two bombs and 30 RBI will testify. Hard-hitting junior 1B Jake Pike checks in at .328 with a homer and 28 RBI.  Holloway has compiled a 192-120-1 record in his nine years at the Jefferson County school. This is the third trip to state for Mount Vernon.

CLASS 4A SEMIFINAL 1

NO. 1 MOUNT CARMEL vs. NO. 8 NEUQUA VALLEY FRIDAY 4

MOUNT CARMEL (32-8) - Caravan Head Coach Brian Hurry takes his fourth Caravan squad to state after the Caravan slipped past Lockport by the slimmest of margins 2-1 in the Class 4A Crestwood Supersectional on Monday. Mount Carmel finished in second place behind St. Laurence in the mighty Chicago Catholic League Blue Division.

On the mound the Caravan are led by their University of Kansas-bound lefty Jeremy Kravetz. Kravetz went the distance to defeat Lockport on Monday. Kravetz is 8-3 with a 1.36 ERA. Junior Marko Boricich is 7-1 with a 1.53 ERA with 66 punch-outs in 64 innings. Fellow junior David Dobrinich has been brilliant in 2013 with a 4-0 record and a miniscule 0.35 in his 20 innings pitched this season.

Senior centerfielder Jason Gasser leads the Caravan attack with a .414 average with eight doubles three triples and 30 RBI. Senior 3B Beau Filkins, who has been hitting at a torrid pace in the playoffs, enters Friday’s contest with a team-leading .442 average with three bombs and 14 RBI. University of Oregon-bound SS Jerry Houston is hitting at a .336 clip with one homer and 24 RBI. Houston has put on a defensive clinic at short in the playoffs.

The Caravan finished second in Class 2A in 2005 and finished fourth in 2011, all under Hurry.

NEUQUA VALLEY (30-9) - Wildcat head coach Robin Renner brings the Wildcats to state for the third time since 2007, when the DuPage County School took home the Class AA State Championship trophy back to Naperville. The ‘Cats defeated Moline 5-2 to win the Class 4A University of Illinois Supersectional, on Tuesday. Neuqua Valley finished in second place behind Upstate 8 Conference Valley Division champ Lake Park.

Illinois Wesleyan University-bound RHP Jonathan Vlk has emerged as an ace of the Wildcat staff. Vlk is 8-0 with a 1.43 ERA. Vlk went the distance to defeat Moline in Champaign on Tuesday. Western Kentucky-bound RHP Cody Coll (7-3-1.30-67K-59IP) and Creighton-bound RHP David Gerber (7-3-2.82-64K-52IP) complete the solid Wildcat pitching staff and several others provide excellent pitching depth.

On the offensive side the ‘Cats are led by Purdue-bound OF Jeff Evak, who is hitting ..372 with 10 doubles, 4 homers and 4 triples. Senior catcher Dylan Goss. Goss is hitting .369 with four homers and 29 RBI. Mike Reisner (.319) also has hit four homers while Drew Sterioti is hitting .349 with 24 RBI.

After the 2007 state championship season in 2007, Neuqua Valley returned to state in 2008 and finished third.

NO. 9 LIBERTYVILLE vs. No. 13 ST. CHARLES EAST FRIDAY 7

LIBERTYVILLE (27-11-1) - Head coach Jim Schurr has a propensity for winning games at Libertyville High School. Schurr (243-137-1) had none larger than his Wildcats thrilling 5-3 win over Maine South on Monday, to punch the ‘Cats ticket to Joliet and win the Class 4A Rockford Riverhawk Supersectional championship.

The Wildcats from Lake County finished second behind Mundelein in the North Suburban Conference Lake Division this spring. Junior C Evan Skoug leads the Wildcat attack with a robust. 440 average with seven bombs and 41 RBI. Skoug also has 12 doubles and three triples. Senior Kevin Calamari provides additional pop in the Libertyville line-up with a .391 average with three homers and 39 RBI. Calamari has 15 doubles as well. Senior Matt Vogt chips in at .339 with 11 doubles four homers and 30 RBI.

On the mound, 6-foot-4 195 pound junior RHP Jeff Barton leads the staff with a 7-2 mark and a 2.16 ERA. 6-foot-2 185 pound senior RHP Jason Buss is 6-1 with a 2.00 ERA.

This is the second trip to state for Libertyville, finishing second in the old single-class system in 1976.

ST. CHARLES EAST (27-11) - In 1999, St. Charles East head coach Len Asquini led the Fighting Saints to a Class AA State Championship in Geneva. After the 2003 season, Asquini stepped down from his coaching position to watch his children participate in amateur sports. Asquini returned last year and once again has taken the Fighting Saints to state.

The Fighting Saints rolled past Jacobs 7-2 in the Rockford Riverhawks Supersectional 2 on Monday night. The Fighting Saints finished one game behind Upstate 8 Conference River Division champ Batavia and finished in second place.

The Saints have been led by their 6-foot-1 200 pound senior RHP Matt Starai. Starai has emerged this spring to be the most highly sought unsigned member of the Class of 2013. Starai is 10-1 with a miniscule 0.54 ERA. Starai has 84 punch-outs in 78 innings of work. Senior lefty Nick Huskisson is 7-1 with a 1.68 ERA and 6-foot-2 210 RHP Troy Dyhkuis is 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA round out the Fighting Saint staff.

Senior Brian Sobieski leads St. Charles East with a .343 average with 12 doubles two triples and 23 RBI. Huskisson checks in at .323 with 19 RBI while Brannon Barry adds some puch with his .329 average and 12 RBI.

Asquini has compiled a 276-110 mark in his 10th season at the helm of the Saints. This is the Saints fourth trip to state, the third under Asquini. The Saints won it all as mentioned in 1999 and finished fourth, under current assistant coach Mark Foulkes in 2004.