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Rockford Christian Rides The Arms of Powell And Gazsouski To Class 2A Title Game

June 5, 2015

By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

PEORIA, IL – Rockford Christian and Peru St. Bede were deadlocked at one into the ninth inning, with gutty pitching performances all around. As good as St. Bede’s Jarret Olson was all day, the combination of righthanders Alec Powell and Nolan Gazsouski was just a tad better. The Royal Lions’ teammates combined to only allow six hits, while striking out 13, with only one walk to advance to Saturday’s Class 2A State Championship Game with a 2-1 bottom of the ninth victory.

Locked in a 1-1 tie into the bottom of the ninth, Rockford Christian (35-6) had little success throughout the contest against the 5-foot-11 southpaw Olson (10-2). Through eight innings the St. Bede ace, had allowed only one run on four hits, with eight strikeouts.

Rockford Christian senior designated hitter Jake Kellerman (2-for-4, two singles) singled between short and third with one out to start the rally. Cameron Santolino walked to put runners on first and second, bringing senior second baseman/shortstop Satchel Daleo to the plate. Daleo lined an 0-1 pitch into left field, scoring pinch runner Alec Powell (who re-entered the game) with the winning run.

St. Bede (23-9) actually was off to a quick offensive start, as senior shortstop Matt Szczepaniak led off the game with a single to to center field, then advanced to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by senior second baseman Jack Brady, putting runners at first and third. After an infield error loaded the bases, Szczepaniak scored on a wild pitch, one of the few mistakes Powell would make during his dominant outing, to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead.

Rockford Christian tied the game in the third. Senior leftfielder Nick Frahm (2-for-3, two singles, stolen base, run scored) led off the inning with a bloop single to right field. After a sacrifice bunt moved Frahm to second, junior catcher Jake McClellan singled sharply to center to knot the score at one.

Neither team could muster much offensively over the next five innings. Powell pitched into the seventh, striking out ten and walking none. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound junior ace, who is undefeated on the season at 10-0, worked in the 83-86 mph range throughout, touching 87. He mixed up his fastball with a late breaking 72-75 mph curveball that accounted for six of his strikeouts.

Olson, who entered the contest with a 0.38 ERA on the season, was dominant in the middle innings, retiring eleven in a row between the third and sixth innings. Olson ran into trouble in the seventh when Rockford Christian put runners on first and second with one out.

St. Bede coach Bill Booker pulled out a perfectly executed trick play…but don’t call it a trick according to Booke, “it’s not trick because we practice it”, joked the long-time LaSalle-Peru and St. Bede skipper.

Olson faked the pick to second base, holding onto the baseball as his middle infielders put on a perfect acting display diving after an invisible ball. Rockford Christian’s courtesy runner jumped up and strayed just far enough from the bag for Olson to come up from behind and tag him. Olson induced a groundout to third base to end the inning.

Powell gave way to the talented 6-foot-4 junior Gazsouski with no outs in the seventh after working the leadoff man to a 3-0 count. Gazsouski (6-0) came in firing 85-87 mph fastballs, coupled with a late breaking 75-78 mph slider, to earn the win with three hitless, and scoreless innings.

Olson led St. Bede offensively as well, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two singles. The do-it-all junior said, “This is what you dream about, this atmosphere and the crowd support. We gave it our best effort for these five seniors. It’s a tough one to swallow, but I tip my cap to them”.

Rockford Christian coach Mike McClellan said, “Those guys (Powell and Gazsouski) were both legit, high school kids aren’t used to seeing those kid of arms on a regular basis. We knew Powell had potential, but he’s been more consistent and lights out every time out this year.”

Rockford Christian advances to tomorrow’s Class 2A State Championship, where they will meet Williamsville at 5:30 pm. St. Bede will take on Teutopolis at 3:00 pm in the third place game.

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