By Drake Skleba

 

JOLIET – The March to Joliet went through Joliet on Wednesday for No.2 Naperville Central. The field at Plainfield South was unplayable after last night’s rain, so the Class 4A Plainfield South Sectional semifinal between No. 2 Naperville Central and No. 9 Naperville North was moved to Joliet Junior College.

 

No. 2 Naperville Central (34-4) received a combined six-hitter from senior left-hander Shane Conlon (10-0) and junior lefty Dan Ludwig and rolled past Naperville North for the third time this season, 7-1. Six of the Redhawk seven runs were unearned due to some crucial Naperville North miscues.

 

In the Naperville Central first inning, a walk to Redhawk leadoff man Ben Lucas (1-for-3, BB, run) led to an unearned run for the ‘Hawks. Lucas went to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single from Conlon (2-for-3,2 RBI) for a quick 1-0 Redhawk lead.

 

The starting pitchers Conlon and Naperville North’s 6-foot-6 senior Andrew Arenson (3-1) were in control through three innings. In the top of the fourth, Naperville North sophomore third baseman Mario Long (2-for-2, HR, 2B, RBI) hammered a Conlon pitch a long way for his second round-tripper of the season to knot things up at 1-1.

 

Conlon answered in the bottom of the fourth with his second RBI single to give the Redhawks a 2-1 lead after four innings.

 

Normally the sixth has been Naperville Central’s magical inning. On Wednesday, Naperville Central struck an inning earlier, in the bottom of the fifth, with a lot of help from North, to break open the contest.

 

With one out, senior DH Marc Mantucca (2-for-3, R, BB) hit a routine fly to right that was dropped, which ignited a four-run outburst for the Redhawks. Senior Bobby Czarnowski singled and Northwestern-bound third baseman Nick Linne, who was intentionally walked to load the bases. Oakton Community College-bound right-hander Kyle Klosek relieved Arenson and unloaded a wild pitch that scored Mantucca.

 

“Emotions run high in our series with North,” said Mantucca. “It’s always a pleasure to beat our rivals over there. I did a good job today and Shane and Luddy did a good job on the mound. Ryan Walsh is amazing with his clutch hitting. We played great defense; Bobby Czarnowski is a vacuum cleaner at first and Matt Soria did a great job at second.”

 

“Mr. Clutch” for the Redhawks in this tournament march, senior catcher Ryan Walsh, came through again with another two-out RBI single to pad the lead to 4-1.

 

“What could be better? We beat North again. I love this field here,” said Walsh. “It took us a little while to get going but we won big and now advance to the sectional championship game Saturday.

 

“Shane and Luddy were great today as they have been all season. They have both carried us through the playoffs. I had faced Klosak before and I was once again looking for his fastball and I got it and hit it well for the RBI single in the fifth.”

 

Naperville Central head coach Bill Seiple pulled off the old walk-off play to perfection with the fleet-footed Linne stealing home for the third run of the inning. Senior second baseman Matt Soria closed out the scoring in the inning with another two-out RBI single.

 

“It is always nice to end North’s season,” said Soria. “I was looking for my pitch and hit it well on my RBI single.”

 

Conlon was removed after five and replaced by Ludwig in the top of the sixth. On the hot and very humid afternoon, the Kansas State University-bound Conlon was suffering from severe cramping. Ludwig (7-0) was magnificent in Saturday’s 6-3 Naperville Central win over Lockport, striking out 13 for his seventh win of the season.

 

Conlon said,  “It was a little scary because I had never experienced cramps like that before and I didn’t know what was going on. I thought I had hydrated enough before the game. I felt really good on the mound and threw the ball well.”

 

Ludwig was greeted by a leadoff single from Long and then retired the last three Huskies in the sixth, striking out two of them.

 

Central picked up another unearned run in the bottom of the sixth. Saturday’s hero, Conor Philbin, pinch hit for Conlon and crushed a double and later scored on a single by Mantuccca, when the Huskies left fielder booted the ball.

 

Ludwig finished off Naperville North in the seventh and the Redhawks were on their way to Saturday’s Class 4A Plainfield South Sectional Championship at 11.

 

“Another good day for the Redhawks,” said Seiple. “It is so great to watch these kids go out and execute and continue to win our games. Naperville North is a great team. They won 30 games and I knew we would have a dog fight. Ryan Walsh once again came up with the big hit for us. Shane hung in there on the mound and had a big hit for us to make it 2-1. Saturday will be another battle in the Plainfield South sectional.”

 

Naperville North closes out a great season at 30-8.The Huskies 30 wins tied the school record for most wins in a season.

 

“We just made too many mistakes,” said Naperville North head coach Carl Hunckler. “We tied the school record for most wins in a season. I am so very proud of this great group that I have had the pleasure to coach. What a tremendous group of men.”