By Drake Skleba

 

LISLE - In the Class 2A Lisle Sectional semifinals played at Benedictine University, the fans had to wait through a 2 hour-plus lightning delay before they witnessed a thriller in the first semifinal game.

 

Immaculate Conception’s junior catcher/right-handed pitcher Jose Godinez pitched and then hit the Knights to a 5-3 thrilling come-from-behind win over Lisle. Godinez fired 3 scoreless innings in relief of I-C ace Matt McMahon. Godinez was simply unhittable, striking out seven in his game-winning performance on the hill.

 

With the Knights down to their last out with the sacks full, Godinez ripped a 1-2 slider from Lisle closer junior Nick Thome into the right field corner, clearing the bases and giving the Knights a 5-3 lead.

 

After an exciting first semifinal game, Harvard (24-7) made quick work of Latin 10-0 in a five-inning yawner. Latin (14-6) committed eight errors in the game that led to the Romans’ downfall. With the win Harvard will meet Immaculate Conception (28-10) at Benedictine in Lisle Sectional Championship game on Saturday at 11 a.m.

 

Immaculate Conception, 5 Lisle 3

After sitting in the Krasa Student Center on the campus of Benedictine University in Lisle through a two-hour lightning delay, Immaculate Conception junior catcher/right-handed pitcher Jose Godinez and his Knight teammates were hungry young men. As the personable Godinez entered the field shortly after the all-clear sirens had wailed, the future hero of the Class 2A Lisle Sectional semifinal carried a large box filled with McDonald’s hamburgers.

 

“After sitting in the Krasa center for two hours we were all pretty hungry,” said Godinez.

“I had to eat something and regain my energy.”

 

Well, the Knights definitely regained their energy as they struck for three seventh-inning runs off the bat of Godinez and defeated Lisle 5-3.

 

The game was a matchup of the two teams aces, Clemson-bound right-hander John Surber (8-1) and Immaculate Conception’s McMahon (7-2). I-C tallied a run off of Surber in the top of the first for an early 1-0 Knight lead.

 

Lisle (24-10) quickly erased the one-run deficit when Surber hammered a two-run homer and the Lions led 2-1. The homer was the future Tigers’ 11^th of the season.

 

I-C tied things up in the third at 2 on a sac-fly from McMahon. Lisle retook the lead 3-2 in the bottom half of the third on a clutch two-out RBI single from freshman left fielder Ryan Van Volkenberg.

 

In the fifth, after McMahon had hit Lion leadoff man junior catcher Will DeCraene, Knight head coach Dan Holleman brought in his junior catcher Godinez to pitch. Godinez struck out two in the inning to hold the deficit to one at 3-2.

 

In the top of the seventh, Surber who had won three games last week for the Lions, was relieved by Thome. Knight junior DH Carlos Rodriguez led off the inning with his second hit of the game. Sophomore Dan Ribando reached on a Lion miscue and Thome proceeded to walk John Lasurda to load the bases.

 

Thome induced McMahon to roll to third and Lisle junior third baseman Ed Kretch cut off the tying run by getting the force at the plate to DeCraene. Thome fanned the next Knight hitter. Thome was one strike away from picking up the save when Godinez came up with the game-winner.

 

In the bottom of the seventh, the hard-throwing Godinez struck out the side and the Knights were in the sectional title game.

 

“I was really pumped up in the seventh and threw hard and stuck out the side,” said Godinez. “When I was up with the bases loaded I took the first two pitches, I knew I had to make contact. I hit the ball hard and found a hole. I love being in tough situations.”

 

“Jose Godinez is phenomenal,” said I-C head coach Dan Holleman. “All season long in big-game situations Jose has come through for us. He has struck out on a ton of people for us this year, so his performance tonight on the mound was no surprise to us.”

 

Lisle closes out a record-setting season for the Lions. The 24 wins is a school record and the Interstate 8 North Division championship was the first in school history.

 

“This was really tough to come so close,” said Lisle head coach Pete Meyer. “One strike away and then the ball goes just fair for the game-winning hit. I am so proud of my kids.I will miss my seniors who have been with me three years, four for Jon Surber, so much.”

 

Harvard 10, Latin 0 (5 Innings)

Harvard senior right-hander Colin Carpenter (5-2) fired a three-hitter and struck out six in leading Harvard (24-7) to a 10-0 Class 2A Lisle Sectional semifinal victory. Carpenter was in trouble in the second but was able to induce the pitcher’s best friend, the old 4-6-3 double play, to get out of the jam.

 

“I am not an overpowering pitcher by any means,” said Carpenter. “I throw strikes and let my great defense make the plays as they did tonight. This was a great win for us. We played great defense an hit the ball well.”

 

In the first inning, the Hornets took advantage of the first of many Roman miscues to plate a couple of runs. With two out and two on, with junior first baseman Pat Towne hit a pop foul near third that should have been caught but dropped in foul territory.Towne made the Romans pay with a booming double that plated two and the rout was on.

 

The Hornets picked up another unearned run in the third and then put the game away with a five-run fourth. Sophomore second baseman Colin Nolen tripled home a Hornet run and then sophomore catcher Cody Melson ripped a double scoring two more and the Hornets led 8-0.

 

“Great feeling to be playing in another sectional final on Saturday,” said Melson. “We really want to come out and play well and win our first sectional championship in our school’s history. We have fallen short in our two previous sectional finals.

 

“Colin really pitched well. His curveball was really biting and he had some extra zip on his fastball. I had a pretty good day at the plate today.”

 

In the fifth, Harvard turned three misplayed Roman fly balls into the final two runs of the game. Carpenter put the first two Roman hitters on in the bottom of the fifth, but battled back and retired the next three hitters and the Hornets were on their way to a date with I-C in the sectional final on Saturday.

 

“We really capitalized on Latin’s mistakes,” said Harvard head coach Ryan Frenk. “We have been really hitting the ball recently and Colin pitched a great game for us on the mound tonight. We have to hit the ball and make the routine plays to win on Saturday.”

 

Latin concluded a fine season with a 14-6 record, winning their second consecutive regional, and with a number of starters returning in 2011, the future is bright at the outstanding academic institution in Chicago.

 

“I am very proud of the fine season we had this year,” said Latin head coach Jay Tebbins.

“To win another regional championship is great for our program. We started four sophomores this season and have numerous people returning in ’11. Our plan is to return to the sectionals again in 2011.”