By Drake Skleba

 

SUGAR GROVE - Lisle defeated Aurora Christian 11-1 in six innings to win the Class 2A Aurora Christian Regional championship Saturday at Waubonsee Community College. Lisle’s Clemson-bound senior RHP Jon Surber (8-1) fired five shutout innings, allowing four hits. Surber struck out eight to pick up his eighth win of the year.

 

The play of the game occurred in the bottom of the first inning. With one on and one out, Surber hit a rocket back to the mound. Aurora Christian sophomore starting pitcher Mitch Holtz snared the shot and wheeled and fired a strike to Eagle shortstop sophomore Josh Haugen. Haugen tagged second for the force and threw off-line to first base trying to get the inning-ending double play. Eagle senior first baseman Alex Woodworth made a swipe tag at Surber, clearly missing him at first base. The first base umpire called Surber out and the inning was apparently over.

 

Lion head coach Pete Meyer played the role of defense attorney to perfection. Meyer immediately raced out of the dugout for a conversation with both umpires. After a brief discussion, the home-plate umpire correctly overruled his partner at first and the Lion half of the first continued.

 

“I just went to the home plate umpire and told him that his partner at first had asked for his help,” said Meyer. “I had to ask the first base ump, again, to ask for help, which the home plate umpire gave and overruled the call. The first base umpire said his main goal was to get the call right.”

 

The change of events seemed to rattle the Eagles. Lisle picked up two runs on Eagle miscues and then junior third baseman Nick Thome (2-for-4; 2B; RBI) ripped a clutch two-out RBI single to increase the lead to 3-0.

 

“It felt good to get the big two-out hit in the first inning,” said Thome. “It was awesome to be on the mound today. I am a little disappointed I balked in their only run. We are really looking forward to playing I-C on Wednesday. They are our big rivals.”

 

In the second inning, the Lions would pick up their only run that they did not score after two outs. Senior centerfielder Alec Blechschmmidt (2-for-3; 2B; BB) led off with a double and scored on a groundout for a 4-0 Lion lead after two.

 

In the fourth, after the first two Lions were retired, a walk and two hit batsman loaded the bases. Surber ripped a two-run double followed by a two-run single by Kolosky and this one was over.

 

"It feels great to be regional champs again. We won it here two years ago when I was a sophomore,” said Kolosky. “Jon pitched great for us today and we all hit well.”

 

Thome relieved Surber in the sixth and gave up a single and the lone Eagle run on a balk.

 

“This was a great win for us,” said Surber. “I kept the ball down and pitched well today. It will be fun Wednesday against I-C.”

 

In the game-ending sixth, once again the first two Lion hitters were retired by Eagle reliever junior Brent Minta. Five successive hits followed. Run number 10 was driven in by Lion sophomore Kazim Kahn, who singled and senior second baseman Ryan Liss singled home the game-winner and sent the large Lisle contingent home very happy. Ten of the 11 Lisle runs were plated after two outs.“We had great two-out production,” said Meyer. “Ten of our 11 runs after two outs is very good. It wasn’t one of John’s better performances but it was a win.”

 

Aurora Christian closed out the season with a 19-12 record. The future is very bright for Eagle head coach Andy Zorger and his Eagles. Aurora Christian returns its top four pitchers and five position players in 2011.

 

“We were kind of rattled after the reversed call,” said Zorger.  “We made too many mistakes today. Against a quality pitcher like Surber we can’t afford mistakes like that. I am really looking forward to next season. We should be very good in 2011 and maybe come back here and win this game next year.”

 

Lisle (24-9) will advance to its own Class 2A Sectional at Benedictine University in Lisle on Wednesday at 4:00.The Lions will take on Immaculate Conception (27-10), which rallied past hosts Walther Lutheran 10-7 to win the Class 2A Walther Lutheran Regional on Saturday.

 

In the second semifinal, Harvard will meet Latin at 6:30. Harvard blanked St.Edward 10-0 behind Hornet ace right-hander Chase Blazier (7-3) to win their own Class 2A Harvard Regional crown. Latin won the Class 2A Holy Trinity Regional crown.

 

Aurora Christian, Kuntzendorf slams the door on Chicago Christian

In the Class 2A Aurora Christian Regional semifinal, Aurora Christian (19-11) defeated Chicago Christian 4-1 in a game that took three days to finish. On Thursday, the two clubs played four innings before the steady rain made the field conditions unplayable. The two clubs tried again on Friday to no avail. Finally, this afternoon at Waubonsee Community College, the game was completed.

 

Aurora Christian sophomore left-hander Bobby Kuntzendorf (5-2), who fired four no-hit innings on Thursday, came back and fired three additional innings to lead the Eagles to victory and into the regional championship game with Lisle.

 

Kuntzendorf allowed one run and two hits. The talented sophomore fanned 11 Chicago Christian hitters. Fellow sophomore Mitch Holtz homered to lead off the game for the Eagles on Thursday. The Eagles picked up an unearned run in the fifth and tacked a pair of runs in the sixth to open up a 4-0 lead. Senior second baseman Dan Jacobson and sophomore shortstop Josh Haugen drove home the Eagle runs in the sixth,

 

Chicago Christian scored in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore centerfielder Jon Lemmenes. The Knights close out a fine season at 23-13.