By Drake Skleba

 

LISLE  – Immaculate Conception’s Jose Godinez put on quite a show in Tuesday’s Benedictine University Class 2A Supersectional. After catching I-C starting pitcher Matt McMahon for the first 4 1/3 innings, Godinez removed his catching gear and strolled out to the mound in a 4-4 tie with Herscher. With a Herscher  runner on second and one out, Godinez blew away the next two Herscher hitters to quell the Tiger rally.

 

For 5 2/3 innings, the junior right-hander allowed one hit and struck out 13 in leading Immaculate Conception to a thrilling 5-4 victory in 10 innings and send the Knights  to their first appearance in the Class 2A semifinals.

 

“Amazing win,” said Godinez. “I came out and threw strikes tonight. I had to do everything I could to help us win. We lost my freshman year here and now it will be simply great to go downstate on Friday.”

 

The Knights (30-10) won this amazing game in the bottom of the 10th. Godinez (7-3) led off the inning against Herscher’s sensational sophomore RHP Justin Ruckman.

 

Ruckman had relieved Tiger ace junior Justin Woltor in the bottom of the third with I-C ahead 4-3, with two on and two out. Ruckman would pick up the first of his seven strikeouts to keep the game at 4-3. In the top of the fourth Herscher would pick up an unearned run against McMahon to even things up at 4.

 

Ruckman blanked the Knights over the next six innings, matching Godinez pitch for pitch.

 

Now let’s return to the fateful 10^th. Godinez led off the inning with a monster blast that appeared heading for a game-winning homer. Like a thief in the night, Herscher’s 6-foor-4 sophomore left fielder Jordan Ruckman climbed the left field wall and reached over it and brought back Godinez’s blast for a stupendous catch and, for the time being, saved the game for Herscher.

 

“When I hit the ball, I said see ya, game over,” said Godinez. “What an outstanding catch by Ruckman. I couldn’t believe it when he reached over the wall and grabbed the ball.”

 

Knight senior right fielder Carlos Rodriguez reached on a bloop double. Rodriguez, in the big four-run Knight third inning, had a clutch two-out, two RBI single to drive in the first two runs.

 

With Knight senior first baseman Austin Hennessey at the plate, the crafty Rodriguez induced a balk out of Ruckman and moved to third. Herscher head coach Eric Regez then walked intentionally both Hennessey and senior shortstop Steve Maloney to load the bases and give the Tigers a force at any base. Regez brought in Jordan Ruckman from left field to the mound in relief of his twin- brother Justin. With Knight junior DH Robert Rivera at the plate, the young sophomore Tiger pitcher unleashed a wild pitch and Rodriguez danced home with the game-winner.

 

“It’s the first time we have ever been to state,” said Rodriguez. “It was great to get the double and hustle all around the bases. It was a great feeling to cross the plate with the winning run. I had a decent day at the plate today. It will be crazy on Friday. A lot of fans. We have to come out and play well.”

 

Herscher jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after two and a half innings. Tiger junior Luke Stetson had an RBI single to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead after two. In the third Jordan Ruckman drove home Tiger shortstop Brock Pfeiffer who had tripled.

 

I-C struck for four in the bottom of the third all after two out. Rodriguez had made it 3-2 with his clutch hit and Rivera answered with another two RBI single to give I-C the lead at 4-3.

 

“This was an amazing win. We fell behind but we never give up,” said Rivera. “Jose was amazing on the mound for us. Jose and I have been best friends for six years now and this is amazing that we will go to state Friday. I took extra batting practice today before the game and it really paid off.”

 

Immaculate Conception will now move onto to Silver Cross Field in Joliet for a Class 2A semifinal matchup with the Wooden Shoes of Teutopolis (29-4). The scheduled starting time is for 3 p.m. Friday afternoon.

 

“This is Jose’s home-away-from-home,” said I-C head coach Dan Holleman. “Like we talked before, Jose is a big-game pitcher. He was outstanding tonight. We came back with Carlos and Robert and that’s the way it has been all season for us. Someone is always stepping up for us in the clutch.

 

“It’s outstanding to be going to state. I went to school at I-C ‘95 and played for the Knights and it is very rewarding to be coaching our first team to state. We have to play solid defense and play our game and we will be fine in Joliet this weekend.”

 

Herscher closes out another sensational season for the Kankakee County school at 28-11.

 

“Give I-C credit. They made the plays they had to make to win the game,” said Regez. “We make a sensational catch in the tenth and then we can’t catch a pop up. We had a good season and a lot to be proud of.”