By Sean Duncan

 

NEW LENOX - Providence first began to show its resiliency in the playoffs last season when, with a team full of sophomores, the Celtics advanced to the sectional finals behind a string of one-run victories.

 

A year older, No. 11 Providence has continued to pull out late-inning wins. This time on Monday, the Celtics eked out a 5-4 eight-inning thriller over visiting No. 12 Mount Carmel in a Chicago Catholic League Blue matchup.

 

“I know I’m graying a little earlier than I thought,” joked Providence coach Mark Smith, whose team has pulled out three walk-off victories this season.

 

It seems a different player delivers each time for the Celtics (13-4, 5-0), who have won seven straight despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the state. On Monday, it was junior second baseman Kevin DeFilippis, the team’s nine-hole hitter, who ripped a run-scoring single with one out through Mount Carmel’s five-man infield.

 

 “I was pretty much looking fastball no matter what,” said DeFilippis, who went 2-for-4. “As the nine-hole hitter, I see a lot of fastballs down there.”

 

DeFilippis got his fastball - a 90-mph two-seamer from junior left-handed reliever Jeff Boehm – to score Tim Hanrahan, who had walked to lead off the inning. DeFilippis also led off the seventh with a single and was on third with one out and the bases loaded, but Mount Carmel (12-4, 4-1) wiggled out of the jam to send it into extra innings.

 

“The inning before I thought we had it,” said DeFilippis. “Beating Mount Carmel like this, it was a great team effort.”

 

Junior left-hander Collin McEnery pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win. McEnery also had a two-run single in the first inning. Pinch hitter Dominic Olszta delivered a two-out RBI single in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4 for Providence, and Matt Trowbridge added a double and two runs scored.

 

“I guess this is just the makeup of this team (to come back),” said Smith. “The kids played hard and got some key hits that helped us win the game.”

 

Providence’s comeback negated a strong pitching performance by Mount Carmel junior right-hander John Kravetz, an Illinois recruit who struck out eight, walked three and yielded five hits and two earned runs in six innings.

 

Brad Myjak hit a two-run homer for the Caravan in the third inning, and freshman shortstop Jerry Houston had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the fifth to give Mount Carmel a 4-3 advantage. Houston also singled to lead off the top of the eighth but was stranded on third. Caravan leadoff man Chris Sujka was walked and scored three times.