By Drake Skleba

OAK-LAWN – St. Laurence and St. Rita put on a state-championship game performance in the first semifinal of the Richards Regional on Wednesday. St. Laurence junior centerfielder Kevin White stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth with the game tied at 4-4. White, whose sac-fly tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth, was facing a pulled-in, five-man infield.

“Coach Lotus told me to forget about the five-man infield and hit the ball hard somewhere and get the run in,” said White.

White hit a smash at St. Rita shortstop Andrew Massey that was too hot to handle as Viking courtesy runner junior Nikko Popp danced home with the Viking game-winner.

“It felt great to hit the smash to short and drive in the game-winner,” said White.

With the win the top-seeded Vikings will play at 11 on Thursday morning against Marist, a 12-7 second semifinal winner over Oak Forest.

St. Rita (9-8) struck first in this IHSBCA/Phil Lawler Summer State Tournament battle with a pair of unearned runs against Viking starting and winning pitcher Zach Lewis.

St. Laurence (16-2) answered with a three spot in the bottom of the third. No. 4 in the Class of 2014, junior second baseman Mike Kornacker put the Vikings up 3-2 with an RBI single. Fellow Class of 2014 junior Brad Wood doubled home the first Viking run of the inning and junior left fielder Chris Stearns plated Wood with an RBI single. Wood is currently No. 22 in the Class of 2014.

St. Rita retook the lead in the top of the fifth on a clutch two-out, two-run single by senior Chad Prieto. White's sac-fly in the bottom of the sixth, tied things at 4.

In the top of the eighth, Prieto just missed hitting a two-out bomb to left that was a foot short of going out. Prieto settled for a double and Lewis intentionally walked Mustang RHP Jake Shepski and then retired the final Mustang hitter on a fly to right.

Lewis fired an eight-inning, eight-hitter at the Mustangs with seven strikeouts.

“I competed the best I could to help us get this win,” said Lewis. “We played well today and I was happy to provide some offense for us and we were able to get enough runs to win. We are looking forward to tomorrow's championship game and really want to win and advance to the finals next week.”

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Kornacker and Lewis (3-for-4) singled. Shepski walked Viking junior DH Nate Tholl. St. Rita head coach Mike Zunica brought in one of his outfielders for a five-man infield and moments later White sent the heat-frazzled Viking contingent home with a big win.

“It all starts with our pitching,” said St. Laurence head coach Pete Lotus. “Zach Lewis was outstanding today in the intense heat. Kevin White had a good day at the plate for us yesterday and continued his clutch hitting today for us.”

Kudos go out to head coach Mike Zunica of St. Rita and Lotus. Today's game was a hard-fought battle between rivals but was a well-played, clean game. The dugouts were both quiet and respectful.