No. 2 Providence bounces back against St. Laurence

By Drake Skleba

NEW LENOX - In a Chicago Catholic League Blue Division showdown, No. 2 Providence met No. 6 St. Laurence , at Tom Dedin Field in New Lenox. Led by the top four hitters in Providence?s fearsome batting order, the Celtics jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after one inning and cruised to a 7-3 win.

Kevin DeFilippis, Zac Kutsulis, Sam Travis and cleanup hitter Dan Potempa were a collective 12-for-15 in leading the Celtics (15-1; 5-1) past the Vikings (17-4; 7-1). Payback was on the minds of the Celtics after the Vikings had handed them their first loss, 8-5 in Burbank on Saturday.

Potempa (3-for-3, 2B, 2RBI) got the payback party started with a one-out, two-run single to give the Celts a quick 2-0 lead. The single was the fourth consecutive hit off St. Laurence starting senior RHP Mike Chimera (4-3).

?We have  a big week ahead and we are trying to get better each game,? said Potempa. ?We played a lot better today than on Saturday. Matt Trowbridge and Colin McEnery did a great job on the mound for us. I had a good day at the plate but I still have some things to get better at.?

St. Laurence picked up a run in the second inning when Viking lead-off man junior Brain Mallder walked with the bases loaded. It was the third walk of the inning by Providence starting and winning LHP Matt Trowbridge (3-0). Trowbridge would end up walking nine in his 4 ? innings of work. Trowbridge struck out eight Viking hitters and allowed one earned run and three hits.

Providence added two unearned runs in the third when Kutsulis (4-for-4, 3R, 2 SB) singled to lead-off the third inning. With one out, Potempa singled and was courtesy-run for by junior Brady Wilkin. Kutsulis and Wilkin executed a double-steal and Kutsulis scampered home when the throw sailed into left field. Providence added another run in the inning on another Viking miscue and the Celts led 4-1 after three.

?We were really riled up for the game today,? said Kutsulis. ?It was great to play well and come out with the win. I hit the ball well today concentrating on going up the middle and it worked out great.?

In the fourth, after two out,  Kevin DeFilippis  (3-for-4, R) and Kutsulis singled and Celtic third baseman Sam Travis launched a three-run bomb, his sixth of the season, way over the left field fence and this game was over.

?We really wanted to make a a statement today,? said Travis. ?I was really happy to hit the three-run homer. It was a big situation in the game with two runners on and us up by three. We got a tough week ahead and we have to come out the gates fast like we did today.?

Senior LHP Collin McEnery pitched the final 2 ? in relief and allowed an unearned run and one hit.

?We really wanted to play well against Laurence after they beat us on Saturday,? said DeFilippis. ?I did well today and did my job as a lead-off man and got on base. It was great to see Sam (Travis) really get a charge into that one.?

Here are the up-to-date numbers on the ?Fearsome Foursome? of Providence Catholic High School. Notre Dame-bound 2B DeFilippis (.532, HR, 10RBI), junior RF Kutsulis (.500, HR, 6RBI), senior C/1B Potempa (.500, HR, 16 RBI) and  Indiana University-bound 3B Sam Travis who is hitting a robust .518 with six homers and 28 RBI.

?Good comeback for the boys after Saturday,? said Providence head coach Mark Smith.?Wake-up call for us and how  we would  respond to our first loss of the season, and we responded well. We hit well; Potempa?s hit was huge in the first inning. We ran the bases well and then Sam (Travis) hit the big three-run homer.?

St. Laurence was led by freshman 3B Mike Kornacker, who went 2-for-4 and drove home a Viking run. The talented freshman also threw two scoreless innings in relief of Chimera.

?We left to many men on base today,?? said St. Laurence head coach Pete Lotus. ?We are too good of a hitting team to strikeout as much as we did today. We?ll bounce back and be ready for Mt. Carmel on Wednesday.?