By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

Games from Saturday May 25

CLASS 2A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

(In Bracket Order)

SAUGET SUPER-SECTIONAL

NASHVILLE

Carlyle 7, Du Quoin 4

Carlyle (26-9) DuQuoin (23-8)

TEUTOPOLIS

No. 9 Teutopolis 8, Shelbyville 1
Teutopolis (28-3) crushed Shelbyville (25-4) behind a three-hitter from SIU-bound RHP Kyle Pruemer (9-1). Preumer fanned a dozen Ram hitters in leading the Wooden Shoes to their own regional championship. Chase Wendling was 3-for-3 with four RBI to lead the T-Town attack. Pruemer helped himself with a double and an RBI. Junior Bobby Wenthe continued to rip the cover of the ball with two doubles and an RBI and red-hot Reid Hardiek went deep again for the Shoes.

BENEDICTINE UNIVERSITY SUPER-SECTIONAL

BENEDICTINE

Lisle 10, Chicago Noble Street Rauner 1
Lisle (20-10-1) exploded for seven runs in the fifth and coasted to the regional championship at Benedictine University in Lisle. Four Lion pitchers combined for a four-hitter, with senior RHP Ryan Van Volkenburg picking up the victory. Van Volkenburg fired four scoreless innings allowing just two hits to pick up the win. Lion junior Jake Oard led the Lion attack with a pair of doubles and drove home three Lion runs. Junior C Kevin Coppin added a pair of singles and two RBI while Van Volkenburg had two hits and an RBI. Junior Cliff Krause chipped in with two hits and an RBI.

On Monday, Memorial Day, the Lions will meet Beecher (17-14) for the right to go to Peoria and the Benedictine University Class 2A Super-Sectional crown.

SENECA

Beecher 5, El Paso 4
Beecher (15-12) 

U OF I SUPER-SECTIONAL

PLEASANT PLAINS

Pleasant Plains 4, Piasa Southwestern 3
Pleasant Plains (26-9) edged Piasa Southwestern (23-7) to win the Cardinal’s own regional championship on Saturday. Cardinal senior Steve Rush had two hits and three RBI to lead PP past the Piasa Birds. Sophomore Mitch Koehler fired 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to pick up the victory.

MONTICELLO

St. Joseph-Ogden 4, Stanford Olympia 2
St. Joseph-Ogden (26-7)

AUGUSTANA SUPER-SECTIONAL

BYRON

Oregon 5, Byron 4

Oregon (17-16) Byron (22-10)

MONMOUTH POSTPONED TO MONDAY MAY 27

CLASS 4A REGIONAL FINALS

(In Bracket Order)

REAVIS SECTIONAL

MT. CARMEL

No. 3 Mount Carmel 11, Reavis 1
Mount Carmel (29-8) crushed Reavis in five innings to win the Caravan’s own regional championship. Junior Marko Boricich improved to 7-1, throwing a two-hitter at the Rams with five strikeouts. University of Oregon-bound Jerry Houston led the Caravan assault with a single, a home run and plated four MC runs. Senior 3B Beau Filkins also hammered a shot that left Haggerty Field and senior Tom Hayes chipped in with a single double and two RBI.

 ARGO

Lyons Township 4, Simeon 3
Lyons Township (25-10) Simeon (21-8)
(SEE STORY)

ST. RITA

St. Rita 8, Morton West 4
St. Rita (30-7)

FENWICK

No. 2 St. Laurence 2, Fenwick 0
St. Laurence (27-8) slipped past the host Friars of Fenwick (14-16) for the regional crown behind a combined two-hit shutout from junior RHP Brad Wood (7-1) and senior Wabash Valley College-bound Zach Lewis. Wood allowed two hits in his five innings of work with five strikeouts while Lewis retired the Friars 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh to nail down the save. The Vikings could only muster two hits and were led by Purdue-recruit Mike Kornacker, who had a single and an RBI. Junior 2B Nate Tholl had he other Viking hit a single and scored a run.

PROVIDENCE SECTIONAL

RICHARDS

Lincoln-Way East 4, Richards 3
Lincoln-Way East (18-15) scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 2-0 Bulldog lead and win the Richards regional championship on Saturday. Aaron Donald’s clutch two-run double tied the game at two. Donald would score the lead run on an RBI single from senior Tommy Fuessel, and Fuessel would score on a single by Ryan Weitendorf. RHP Brandon Nathan went the distance for the Griffins scattering nine hits and allowing three runs.

LINCOLN-WAY CENTRAL

No. 5 Lincoln-Way North 1, Lincoln-Way Central 0
Lincoln-Way North (33-2-1) and Lincoln-Way Central (16-14) battled for nine thrilling innings on Saturday. In the bottom of the ninth, Phoenix junior Eric Eggert singled home St. Joseph College-bound SS Josh Handzik with the walk-off winner. SIU-Edwardsville-bound RHP Mike Miller went the distance for the Phoenix, allowing five hits with seven strikeouts to improve to 8-0 on the season.

Central junior RHP Brad Bass matched Miller pitch-for-pitch for the first seven innings. Bass, a Notre Dame recruit who is currently ranked No.1 in the Class of 2014, allowed just three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.

TF NORTH

No. 7 Lockport 3, Marian Catholic 0
Lockport (30-7) won for the 30^th time this season to win the TF North Regional crown over Marian Catholic (21-14). Porter senior RHP Eric Duzan was amazing, firing a two-hit shutout at the Spartans. Duzan (7-1) had eight punch-outs and did not walk a batter. Senior 3B Doug Matthews continued his hot-hitting with two more hits including a double and drove home the only run Duzan would need. Austin Kolmodin chipped in with a single and an RBI.

SANDBURG

Providence 4, Stagg 0
Look out for Providence (20-17). After struggling to a stunning last-place finish in the Chicago Catholic League’s Blue Division this spring, the Celtics won the Sandburg regional championship on Saturday.

Senior LHP Yianni Pavlopoulos (2-4) fired a three-hit shutout at the Chargers with five strikeouts and senior Nick Sanders drove home half of the Celtic runs on Saturday. Celtic leadoffman Brian Jenner singled, doubled, scored two runs and drove one while second baseman Billy Quirke had a single and drove in the other Celtic run.

ILLINOIS WESLEYAN SECTIONAL

JOLIET CENTRAL

Plainfield South 3, Joliet West 2
A pair of sophomores led Plainfield South (26-9) to the Joliet Central Regional championship on Saturday. Sophomore RHP Shane Ritter fired a four-hitter at the Southwest Suburban Conference Blue Division co-champs from West. Cougar sophomore 3B Marko Melgoza broke up the 2-2 tie in the bottom of the sixth with a clutch two-out RBI single that plated the eventual game-winner.

NORMAL COMMUNITY

No. 25 Moline 8, No. 1 Normal West 3
Moline (24-9) Normal West (32-4)
(SEE STORY)

EDWARDSVILLE

Alton 2 Edwardsville 0
Alton (26-9) Edwardsville (27-10)

O’FALLON

Belleville East 4, Granite City 1
Belleville East (22-13)

HINSDALE CENTRAL

No. 7 Downers Grove South 4, Waubonsie Valley 1
Downers Grove South (30-6-1) cruised past the Warriors to take the regional championship and win pick up the Mustangs 30^th win of the season. University of Minnesota-bound Brian Glowicki (7-2) scattered eight hits allowed one run and struck out five Warriors. Glowicki’s batterymate C Javier Martinez had a single and two RBI while Alex Galik singled, doubled and plated a Mustang run. Junior Matt Zinnecker chipped in with a pair of doubles.

OSWEGO

Downers Grove North 6, Metea Valley 5
Downers Grove North (21-11) won in walk-off fashion on Saturday to claim the regional championship. Ray Greco’s walk-off single to left in the bottom of the ninth sent the purple-clad Trojan fans dancing onto Route 71. Greco’s single made a winner of Trojan RHP Matt Bohannon. Bohannon was outstanding firing 4 2/3 innings of shutout relief. Bohannon struck out four and walked two. Trojan nine hitter, Emil Baftirovski’s two-run doubled tied the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth. Baftirovski finished with three big RBI for DGN.  

 ROMEOVILLE

Neuqua Valley 4, Yorkville 2
Neuqua Valley (27-9) scored four times in the bottom of the fifth, erasing a 2-0 Fox lead and went on to win the regional championship on Saturday. Wildcat senior LHP Danny Mokrzycki (St. Cloud State) and Creighton-bound RHP David Gerber combined for a five-hitter at the Foxes. Mokrzycki pitched the first five innings allowing two runs (one earned) and five hits with eight strikeouts. The future Blue Jay righty Gerber faced six hitters in his two scoreless innings of work and struck out three of them to nail down the save. Wildcat leadoffman Jeff Evak (Purdue) had two singles and a pair of RBI to lead the Wildcat attack.

NAPERVILLE CENTRAL

Plainfield North 5 No. 13 Naperville Central 4
Plainfield North (17-14) scored three times in the top of the sixth to stun the regional hosts from Naperville Central (24-8) and win the regional championship on Saturday. Tiger junior Joe Callahan went the distance for North allowing four runs and nine hits. In the fateful Tiger sixth, senior Jay Roberts doubled home the tying run. Senior Kurt Palandech gave the Tigers the lead when he walked with the bases loaded and senior Zach Trusk finished up the scoring with a sac-fly.

HUNTLEY SECTIONAL

DEKALB

Dundee-Crown 3 No. 16 Huntley 0
Dundee-Crown (10-18) stunned Huntley (24-7) behind a three-hit shutout from Charger lefty Vince Damato.

MCHENRY

Prairie Ridge 7, McHenry 3
Prairie Ridge (25-11) defeated the regional hosts from McHenry (23-15).

ROCKFORD GUILFORD

Rockton Hononegah 4, Rockford Boylan 2
Rockton Hononegah (23-8) Rockford Boylan (19-10)

JACOBS

Jacobs 9, Barrington 4
Jacobs (23-11) jumped out to an 8-2 lead after three innings and went on to crush Barrington (22-12) for the Golden Eagles’ own regional championship. Senior Connor Conzelman singled and launched his eighth home run and drove home five for Jacobs. Golden eagle leadoffman Ben Murray chipped in with three hits and drove home a run. Senior RHP Nick Ledinsky went the distance allowing one earned run and allowed five hits to improve to 6-2 on the season. 

ST. CHARLES EAST SECTIONAL

GENEVA

St. Charles East 5, Geneva 2
St. Charles East (24-11) scored three runs in the first inning and cruised past Geneva to win the Fighting Saints own regional title. Saint ace LHP Nick Huskisson (6-1) allowed four hits and one unearned run in his five quality innings to pick up the win. Saint RH closer Ty Dykhuis allowed a run in two innings of relief to nail down his second save of the season. Brannon Barry singled and plated a pair of runs to lead the Fighting Saint attack.

SCHAUMBURG

No.24 Lake Park 4, York 0
Lake Park (27-9) was led once again by senior RHP Christian Taugner as the Lancers blanked the Dukes to take home the regional crown. The former Porsche Player of the Week Taugner (10-1) fired a three-hit shutout at the Dukes with 11 strikeouts. For the season, Taugner has 106 strikeouts in 67 innings pitched. Taugner lowered his miniscule ERA to 0.63. Taugner’s batterymate senior C Tom Spear led the Lance attack with three hits and two RBI.

BARTLETT

Bartlett 2, Hoffman Estates 0
Bartlett (16-14) won in a “Battle of the Hawks”, behind a one-hitter from RHP Doug VanDyke. The 6-foot-1 195-pound junior was lights out on the mound for the Hawks, striking out seven and walking one. Senior Colin Nowak hammered a clutch RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to break up a scoreless battle. The Hawks would tack on another run and VanDyke took a no-no to the top of the seventh. With one out Jimmy Ward singled to end Vandyke’s dream. VanDyke retired the last two Hoffman hitters and settled for the one-hitter. 

WHEATON NORTH

Wheaton North 5, South Elgin 0
Wheaton North (26-8) won the regional title behind a three-hit masterpiece from the Falcons great Lake Bacher. Bacher struck out six to improves to 8-0 on the mound in 2013. Senior Tom Colletti led the Falcon attack with a three-run bomb and a sac-fly. Senior Jake Taschetta chipped in with two singles and two runs scored.

GLENBROOK NORTH SECTIONAL

ST. VIATOR

Fremd 4, Buffalo Grove 3
Fremd (20-11)

LAKE ZURICH

Libertyville 7, Glenbrook North 6
Libertyville (25-11-1) scored four times in the top of the sixth to erase a 6-3 Glenbrook North (24-12) lead and roll to the regional championship in Bear Country in Lake Zurich. Wildcat junior C Evan Skoug and senior Matt Vogt led the Wildcat uprising. Skoug had two singles and two RBI while Vogt had two hits, including a double and plated a Wildcat run.

DEERFIELD

Glenbrook South 9, Palatine 6
Glenbrook South (25-6) outslugged Palatine (20-14-1) for the regional crown on Saturday behind junior Tommy O’ Hara, who doubled and plated a pair for the Titans. Senior RHP Sam Koloms went the distance for the Titans allowing all six runs (two earned) and seven hits with six strikeouts to pick up the win. Koloms helped himself at the plate with two doubles and an RBI. Senior Max Cohen added a pair of doubles and an RBI.

CARMEL

Stevenson 7, Carmel 2
Stevenson (20-11) broke open a 3-2 game with four runs in the top of the sixth to smash Carmel (26-10) for the regional championship. Red-hot Zach Novoselski doubled and had two RBI while Tony Heiser singled and plated a big Patriot run. LHP Mitch Goll was outstanding, throwing a four-hitter with eight punch-outs against the Corsairs. Both Carmel runs were unearned. Novoselski is hitting a robust .458 with four bombs and 37 RBI.  

NILES WEST SECTIONAL

OAK PARK

Oak Park 3, Loyola 2
The defending Class 4A state champions from Oak Park (27-11) scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally past the Ramblers and win the Huskie’s own regional crown. University of Michigan-bound 1B Nick Kowalczuk smoked a two-run double to give the Huskies the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Kowalczuk drove home all three OPRF runs. Senior RHP Henry Cappel (5-0) went the distance for the Huskies firing a three-hitter at the Ramblers with eight strikeouts. 

VON STEUBEN

New Trier 10, Niles West 9
New Trier (20-14-1) won a wild-one in 10 innings on Saturday to win the Von Steuben regional championship at Northeastern Illinois University on Saturday. Junior Grant Klenovich singled home the lead run in the top of the tenth. Klenovich scored a huge insurance run for the Trevians on an RBI single from senior Ernie Roth. Niles West picked up an unearned run against junior RHP Dave Richman who picked up the win. Richman fired 4 1/3 innings allowing two runs, both unearned with six strikeouts.

Klenovich hammered a two-run bomb for NT while senior Jack Cloud added three hits including a double and drove home a pair of Trevian runs. Junior Mike McCaffrey chipped in with two hits and two RBI.

EVANSTON

Maine South 10, Taft 0
Maine South (21-10) routed Taft behind senior LHP Mike Virgilio, who went the distance against the Eagles with 10 strikeouts. Eastern Illinois-bound Frankie Perrone hammered his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot, and red-hot junior Andy Depkon launched a two-run bomb for the Hawks. 

NOTRE DAME

Elk Grove 2, Notre Dame 1
Elk Grove (24-10) tied this one up with a run in the bottom of the seventh on a sac-fly by Pete Arbov and then won it in the bottom of the eighth on a passed ball to stun Notre Dame (16-18) and win the regional championship. Elk Grove ace RHP Dave Camacho went the distance, scattering nine hits to improve to 8-1 on the season and actually have his ERA rise to 0.79. 

CLASS 3A REGIONAL FINALS

GRAYSLAKE CENTRAL SECTIONAL

LAKES

Grayslake Central 2, Lakes 1
Grayslake Central (24-12) slipped past the regional hosts from Lakes (16-18) behind a four-hitter from Ram RHP Jack Spicer. Spicer fanned eight and walked one. Freddie Landers had two hits and an RBI while Ram leadoffman Ryan Fontana singled home the other ram run.

GORDON TECH

Lake View 8 Gordon Tech 5
Lake View (13-21) rallied past the host Rams and won the regional championship on Saturday. Marian Gonzales drove home the eventual game-winner in the sixth and Benji Copas went the distance for the Wildcats.

FENTON

Wauconda 7, Vernon Hills 4
Wauconda (21-5)

WOODSTOCK

NAZARETH SECTIONAL

NAZARETH

Nazareth 5, Elmwood Park 1
Nazareth (25-11-1)

RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD

Riverside-Brookfield 1, Montini 0
Riverside-Brookfield (29-4-1) blanked Montini (21-11) behind another no-hitter from Bulldog junior lefty Will Kincanon (10-0).  

CLEMENTE

Clemente 3, No. 18 Benet Academy 2
Clemente (19-9) upended the East Suburban Catholic co-champs to win the regional. Benet bows out at 22-8.

SYACAMORE SECTIONAL

KANELAND

St. Francis 3, Kaneland 2
St. Francis (22-11)

ROCHELLE

Sycamore 12, Rock Falls 2
Sycamore rolled to the regional championship in Rochelle on Saturday behind a complete-game gem from Spartan senior Scott Nelson. Junior 3B Alex Kozak led the Spartan attack with two singles and three RBI.

BURLINGTON CENTRAL

Burlington Central 6, Hampshire 1
Burlington Central (16-12) were tied the Whip-Purrs 1-1 as the game moved into the top of the sixth. The Rockets exploded for three in the sixth and two more in the seventh to roll their own regional championship. Bryan Cynova led the Rocket attack with a single and two RBI. Josh Lung singled, doubled and plated a BC run while Rocket leadoffman Mike Lee had three hits and scored three Rocket runs. RHP Jake Schutta fired a six-hitter at the Whip-Purrs with three strikeouts.

BELVIDERE

Rockford East 2, Belvidere 1
Rockford East (17-8)

WASHINGTON SECTIONAL

GENESEO

No. 13 Rock Island Aleman, Galesburg POSTPONED UNTIL MAY 27
Galseburg knocked off No. 13 Alleman 4-3 to win the regional title. Galesburg improves to 27-9 while Alleman bows out at 26-3.

MORTON

No. 14 Metamora, Washington suspended until Monday 5/27
Metamora (29-4), Washington (19-11) 

CANTON

Peoria Notre Dame 4 No.21 Bartonville Limestone 0
Peoria Notre Dame (25-8) blanked Bartonville Limestone (25-9) in a game that only went six innings due to Mother Nature putting an end to the proceedings in Canton. Fighting Irish RHP Mike Birdoes and sophomore LHP Jake Hurst combine for a three-hit shutout. Birdoes (8-1) allowed one hit in his four scoreless innings after striking out three and walking five Rocket hitters. Hurst allowed two hits in his two innings of relief striking out one. Irish super-soph Andy Shadid was 3-for-3 with a homer and two singles and plated a pair of PND runs. Mick Best had single and an RBI and Hurst chipped in with a pair of singles. Shadid is now hitting .504 with six homers and 34 RBI.

Limestone closes out a great season with a co-Mid-Illini championship and a 25-9 season.

OTTAWA

La Salle-Peru 4, Morris 3
La Salle-Peru (23-6) Morris (24-7)

EFFINGHAM SECTIONAL

COLUMBIA

Mascoutah 3, Waterloo 1
Mascoutah (22-14) Waterloo (24-11)

HERRIN

Mount Vernon 2, Centralia 0
The South Seven Conference champions from Mount Vernon (28-8-1) blanked the SSC-rival Orphans on Saturday to take home the regional title. Ram senior Tyler Ellis (7-2) fired a three-hit shutout at the Orphans. Senior Landon Thomas singled home the only run Ellis would need in the Ram two-run second. Thomas would add another single to his fine day at the plate for MV.

OLNEY

Effingham 1, Mattoon 0
Effingham (19-13) blanked the Green Wave in eight thrilling innings to win the Olney regional championship on Saturday. Flaming Heart RHP Drew Levitt fired a three-hit shutout pitching all eight innings to lead Effingham to the regional crown. Levitt’s sac-fly in the top of the eighth plated the only run he would need to improve to 2-2 on the mound for the Flaming Hearts.  

TROY TRIAD RAIN

Troy-Triad 6 Highland 2
Troy Triad (26-11) Highland (26-10)

SPRINGFIELD SECTIONAL

SACRED HEART-GRIFFIN

Chatham Glenwood 7, No. 15 Sacred Heart-Griffin 4
SHG (26-8) Glenwood (21-8)

LINCOLN

Bloomington 3, Bloomington Central Catholic 0
Bloomington (27-9)

RANTOUL

Champaign Centennial 5, Mahomet-Seymour 2
TAYLORVILLE

Taylorville, Rochester suspended until Monday May 27 at 10

SECTIONAL

ST. IGNATIUS

St. Ignatius 7, Solorio Academy 1

St. Ignatius (11-22)

HARLAN

Harlan  15, Urban Prep Charter 1
Harlan (19-11-1)

U-HIGH

U-High 14 Hyde Park 1
U-High (15-5)

LINCOLN-WAY WEST SECTIONAL
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN

Rich Central 3, Bremen 0
Rich Central (27-4)

MANTENO

Herscher 5, Peotone 2
Herscher (30-5-2) rolled past the Blue Devils behind senior ace LHP Jimmy Brandt. Brandt improved to 9-1 on the season with a four hitter. Both Bluer Devil runs were unearned. Dalton Sproul led the Tigers with a 3-for-3 day at the plate with three singles and two RBI. Matt Guimond had a single and plated two Tiger runs. 

LEMONT

Joliet Catholic Academy 3, No. 22 Lemont 0
Joliet Catholic Academy (19-14-1) Lemont (23-7)
(SEE STORY)

BROOKS

Evergreen Park 3, Brooks 0
Evergreen Park (16-15) blanked the hosts from Brooks to take home the regional championship on  Saturday. Mustang RHP Frank Meisl fired a two-hit shutout with seven strtikeouts. Meisl did not walk a batter. Tim Walsh led the EP attack with a double and two RBI while Corey Miller chipped in with a single and drove home the other Mustang run.

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