Motivated Wauconda shuts out Johnsburg

The rotation has Kevin Malisheski scheduled to pitch on Saturday.

But the Wauconda ace wouldn't get that next start if his team couldn't first win on Wednesday. And Malisheski really wants to pitch again this season.

So he did everything he could to make sure the Bulldogs kept advancing in the Class 3A baseball state tournament.

With a big hit to right field and a sacrifice fly to almost the same spot, Malisheski drove in 3 of Wauconda's runs in a 4-0 victory over Johnsburg in the semifinals of the Carmel regional.

The Bulldogs (15-15) will play in Saturday's regional championship game against the winner of today's semifinal between Carmel and Amundsen. And Malisheski will happily take the mound.

"I wanted to pitch today," Malisheski said with a laugh. "I'm glad (to get the chance to pitch again). I feel like I do better in those situations (elimination games)."

Kyle Harmon, Wauconda's other top pitcher, certainly handled his shot at an elimination game well.

He pitched six full innings against Johnsburg and allowed just 4 hits while registering 5 strikeouts. Closer Drake Berman closed out the game in the seventh inning without giving up a hit.

"My arm was feeling good today in warmups and my plan was to just attack the strike zone and I think I did that," said Harmon, who is now 5-4. "My fastball and changeup were working really good today. I had them off balance.

"I was a little worried (about Wauconda's lack of early offense), but we picked it up finally."

Johnsburg starting pitcher Michael Crow actually had a no-hitter going through the first three innings. But that changed in the fourth when Wauconda shortstop Jacob Bicknase led off with a single. Luke Weller followed that up with a single of his own and then Malisheski drove in Bicknase with a sacrifice fly deep into right field. Joseph Schaer (2-for-3) then drove in Weller with a triple into right field.

Malisheski picked up two more RBI in the fifth, again going to right field with a single.

"Offensively, we had some things going early on (thanks to some Johnsburg errors), but base-running kind of hurt us a little bit. We didn't execute very well," Wauconda coach Bill Sliker said. "We had some chances to put a few more runs on the board.

"But Kevin (Malisheski) came up big, he's done that all season with two-out hits. That's why he hits in the four spot."

Johnsburg, which closes out its season at 7-23, finished with only 5 hits but left 9 baserunners stranded.

"Their pitcher (Harmon) had a great outing," Johnsburg coach Sam Lesniak said. "We had runners in scoring position, we had base-runners on in every inning but the second inning and you have to come up with a big hit and we weren't successful with that to turn the game around.

"It's been an issue for us all season. We're very, very young. We actually have quite a few freshmen and sophomores moved up today, and we struggle to come up with the big hit."