By Drake Skleba

 

BURBANK- In a battle between a pair of top 20 teams in the state, No. 7 St. Laurence used a hit-by-pitch of second baseman Joe Sadowski with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to slip past No. 17 St. Ignatius 5-4 on Wednesday. The game featured the top two contenders in the Chicago Catholic League White Division.

 

St. Laurence (13-1; 2-0) jumped out in front with a couple of gift runs in the bottom of the first. The opportunistic Vikings scored on a Wolfpack throwing error, and their second run of the inning came when Wolfpack starting and hard-luck losing pitcher senior Matt Lynch (2-1) balked in the second Viking tally.

 

St. Laurence’s Purdue recruit, junior right fielder Kyle Wood, hammered the only mistake Lynch made all day for a two-run homer in the bottom of the third. For Wood, who entered the game hitting .600, it was his fifth homer of the season.

 

“I was disappointed in myself a little on the home run,” said Wood. “I was really trying to hit to the right side and get the runner over. I got a ball over the plate and hit it hard and it went out. This is a big win for us, although it was a little too close for comfort. It would be nice to come out tomorrow against Bishop Mac and get a big lead.”

 

As Wood stated, St. Ignatius (9-3; 0-1) clawed back and struck with a four-run outburst in the top of the fifth against Viking winning pitcher senior Scott Koziol (2-0). Wake Forest-bound shortstop Jack Fischer struck out but reached first on a dropped third strike to start the come-back. Wolfpack senior catcher Justin Meier then hammered his fifth home run of the season, a two-run bomb to left, to cut the Viking lead in half. St. Ignatius received an RBI single from senior left fielder Andy Bertucci and a sac-fly to tie the game from senior DH Kevin Fleming (1-for-1, RBI, HBP).

 

St. Laurence senior third baseman Mike Chimera (1-for-2, HBP,) started the winning bottom of the sixth with a rocket past the second baseman in to right field. After one out, senior left fielder Josh Johnson walked, ending the day for Lynch. (5 .2 IP 5R 3H 3ER 9K 2BB).

 

“It felt good to hit the ball hard and start the game-winning inning for us,” said Chimera. “I have been struggling at the plate lately. This was a big conference win for us.”

 

St. Ignatius head coach Sean O’Connor brought in senior Tom McNulty from the Wolfpack bullpen. McNulty had control problems, walking leadoff man senior Jim Topps and then plunked Sadowski (1-for-2; 2R; RBI), forcing in pinch-runner junior John Litrenta with the game winner.

 

“It certainly wasn’t one of our best games,” said Sadowski. “It still was a big game to win for us. I am really happy we did it again. I got one of our three hits and on that last at bat I just wanted to get that run in. We are really looking forward to playing Bishop Mac tomorrow. They took the conference from us last year and it would be nice to beat them.”

 

Whenever the Vikings have a one-run lead going to the seventh, it’s John Rafferty time. The senior closer came in the top of seventh and mowed down the heart of the Wolfpack lineup to record his fourth save of the season. Rafferty retired in order: St. Ignatius junior 2B Eric Jacobson, who had three hits in the game, Fischer and ended the game with a flourish by striking out Meier, who had a two-run dinger in the game.

 

“I just go out and do my job,” said Rafferty. “No matter who’s in the batter’s box, I have the confidence in my ability to get the batter out. I am not intimidated by anyone.”

 

Scott Koziol improves his record to 2-0 after allowing a pair of earned runs in his six innings of work and striking out 7 while walking two.

 

St. Laurence will conclude their three-game homestand when the defending Catholic League White Division champions, from Bishop McNamara, invades downtown Burbank on Thursday.

 

“Well, they say good teams find a way to win,” said St. Laurence head coach Pete Lotus. “We seemed to have a little bit of a let down after the big win over St. Rita on Monday. Scott Koziol pitched great for us. Kyle Wood is the best pure hitter I have ever coached. Joe Sadowski is the toughest player on our team. No mater what we need Joe will do for us. I am really happy for Mike Chimera; he had been struggling a little at the plate. John Rafferty has been just outstanding for us for two years.”

 

Things do not get any easier for St. Ignatius, as the Wolfpack will meet No. 6 St. Rita on Thursday.

 

“I am really proud of the way we fought back,” said O’Connor. “We made too many walks and mistakes against a good team for us to overcome. Matt Lynch did a great job on the mound for us. We have to rebound tomorrow against St. Rita.”