By Drake Skleba

 

JOLIET- After having its Cinderella run ended by Providence on Friday, Prospect junior Jack Landwehr provided the Golden Slipper for the Knights on Saturday.

 

Landwehr fired his third-consecutive complete game of the tournament, scattering 9 hits and allowing one run on the mound for the Knights. To properly punctuate Landwehr?s incredible season, his first- and third- inning RBI singles gave the Knights a 2-1 win and a third place trophy in Class 4A.

 

For the second consecutive day, Mt. Carmel (34-9) could not come up with the big hit. Landwehr repeatedly turned away Caravan threats as Mt. Carmel was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. This followed a dismal 1-for-10 showing with runners in scoring position against Lyons Township on Friday.

 

Mt. Carmel?s Indiana University-bound CF Chris Sujka opened up the ball game with a routine fly ball to Prospect senior right fielder Kevin Miller. Miller lost the ball in the sun and Sujka ended up on third with a sun-aided triple. With Caravan sophomore Jerry Houston up next, Miller quickly made amends for his defensive miscue.

 

Houston lofted another fly to Miller in right. Miller showed off his cannon of an arm by firing a strike to senior catcher Kurt Donner, who put the tag on Sujka for the second out of the inning. It would be that kind of a day for the Caravan.

 

In the bottom of the first inning, Landwehr ripped a two-out RBI single, scoring Knight senior second baseman Matt Molini (2-for-3; 2 runs), who had singled and stole second base.

 

In the top of the third, Mt. Carmel tied the game up at 1-1 on a two-out RBI double by junior first Sam Kint. Kint?s double scored Houston, who had singled and reached second on a Knight error.

 

Prospect and Landwehr struck back quickly in the bottom of the third. Molini led off the inning with his second hit of the game. Knight senior CF Peter Bonahoom walked. Landwehr again came through with an RBI single for the eventual game winner.

 

Landwehr (14-2), whose fastball sat between 84-87 mph, climbing as high as 88, extinguished Caravan threats in the fifth and the sixth. In both innings the Caravan had the tying run in scoring position with one out.

 

In the Mt. Carmel seventh, Landwehr allowed a two-out single to Sujka (3-for-4; 3B). Houston then rolled to Knight senior SS Luke Bergman, who fired a strike to senior 1B Brian Bauer and the Cinderella Knights were third in Class 4A.

 

?My stuff was really working today,? said Landwehr. ?I was mixing up my pitches well. I wanted to pitch and my arm felt great out there. I was seeing the ball well at the plate and it worked out good.

 

?I knew my role was going to be large this season. I am glad I was able to accomplish what I did. I really am happy for our seniors, that we could go with this big win for third place.?

 

For Prospect (27-9), the 2011 season was a record-setter in a number of ways. With the 27 wins, the Knights tied the Prospect school record for wins in a season. The amazing Landwehr?s 14 wins on the mound set a new Prospect record for wins in a season. The previous Knight record-holder, Eric Porter, had 11 wins in 1987. Porter is currently an assistant coach at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. The Knights and Landwehr defeated St. Viator and Porter 5-3 in the sectional semifinals.

 

?This was really a team win for us,? said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. ?Kevin Miller quickly amended his mistake in the first inning to gun down a big run at the plate with his great throw. Jack (Landwehr) was outstanding on the mound and at the plate for us again, as he has been all season.

 

?We were a confident team all season. It was a tremendous achievement for what the kids accomplished. I am really proud of them.?