Ruchim pitches Stevenson to state

LOVES PARK - Kyle Ruchim was the pitcher of record in two of Stevenson's 3 losses this season.

But there was no question who Stevenson wanted on the mound Monday to record the biggest victory in the baseball program's history.

The Northwestern-bound Ruchim threw a dominant 4-hitter as the Patriots (34-3) advanced to the state finals for the first time with a 5-1 victory over Maine South (26-11) in the Rockford RiverHawks Class 4A supersectional at Road Ranger Stadium.

"This was our goal," Ruchim said after improving to 7-2. "The first time for Stevenson. It's awesome."

Seven of Ruchim's 10 strikeouts came in the final 4 innings. He allowed only 2 walks as he threw 70 of his 110 pitches for strikes.

Erick King's 2-run homer in the third was the big shot that assured the Patriots of their first state trophy as they advanced to Friday's 3 p.m. semifinal at Joliet's Silver Cross Field against Naperville Central, which beat O'Fallon 3-2 in the Illinois Wesleyan supersectional.

"When he's on the mound he knows how to control the game," King said after Maine South got its only run on a two-out wild pitch in the sixth.

"With the season on the line I'm glad Kyle had the ball," said third-year Stevenson coach Paul Mazzuca.

Maine South's only other serious threat outside the sixth was in the second when A.J. Sus doubled with one out. Sus escaped a rundown and made it to third as Steve Mancuso reached on a fielder's choice grounder with two outs.

But Ruchim escaped unscathed with one of his four called strikeouts.

"We did what we wanted to do but we just didn't hit the ball too well," said Sus after the Hawks fell short of their first state trophy since taking second in 1966. "(Ruchim) was up there (of pitchers we faced). He threw the ball well."

Stevenson broke through with its trademark two-out hitting in the top of the third against Air Force-bound righty Jesse O'Connor (9-1).

Kory Cutler, who went 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, drew a one-out walk and stole second as Ruchim struck out. Patrick Wilson hit an infield single that Sus stopped with a dive between first and second, but Cutler kept coming around to score the first run without a throw.

Then King showed his power when he didn't get all of a 1-1 curveball but it still carried well over the fence in left for his fourth homer of the year and a 3-0 lead.

"I swung at the curve (earlier) and I was a little out in front," King said of his second homer in three games. "I decided to stay back on it when he threw the same pitch. It hung up a little bit and I smashed it.

"I didn't get all of it. It didn't hit the barrel, either."

A leadoff single by John Gobbo led to the Hawks' run in the sixth on Ruchim's wild pitch as Illinois-bound Ronnie Muck walked. Ruchim got Jimmy Frankos on a pop up to third baseman Jacob Sholl to end the inning.

"I was definitely feeling a little more adrenaline toward the end," Ruchim said.

Michael Martin reached on a two-base error to start the seventh, Corey Lasky sacrificed and Cutler and Ruchim followed with back-to-back RBI doubles.

And Wilson fielded a grounder to first that took him to the bag for the final out to start a subdued celebration for a program that had never been here but a group that expected to make the big breakthrough.

"This was our goal, to get to state," Cutler said. "It's a big weight off our shoulders."

With a bigger weight to lift awaiting this weekend in Joliet.