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Grayslake Central edges Fenwick, punches ticket to Joliet

June 9, 2014

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Illinois/Wisconsin

NAPERVILLE, IL – The Grayslake Central Rams (29-10) edged Fenwick (25-11) in the 3A Naperville Super-Sectional 2-1 behind a stellar outing from junior left-handed pitcher Justin Guryn. Guryn kept the Friar bats quiet for most of the day allowing six hits and one run.

Fenwick junior right-hander Kevin Forde took the mound for the Friars and matched Guryn pitch for pitch early in the contest. Forde’s fastball/curveball combination proved tough for the Ram offense to string a big inning together but Grayslake Central stayed relentless and chipped away at Forde grinding out tough at bats.

The Rams got to Forde first in the fourth coaxing a one out walk followed by a Sam Nozicka single and a hit batter. Mike Stone lifted a one out bases loaded sacrifice fly to right field, scoring the first run of the game.

Fenwick answered back quickly in the top of the fifth wasting no time with a leadoff single from Michael Krecek followed by a big RBI double off the bat of Tom Planek.

As quickly as Fenwick tied the game at one, Grayslake Central reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Leadoff hitter Jonathan Hoffman reached on a Friar error to start the inning. Forde induced consecutive 5-3 putouts and looked like he would get out of the inning unscathed, but Kyle Clark came up with a clutch two out double to right center scoring Hoffman.

Guryn would not relinquish the lead this time retiring the last six of eight batters faced finishing with a pair of strikeouts to end the game and send the Rams to Joliet for the State Semi-Finals.

Grayslake Central will face Sacred Heart Griffin, who won the Sauget Super-Sectional in dramatic fashion, in the state semi-finals on Friday June 13 at noon.

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