Warren tops Prospect, stashes away a regional title

The old hidden-ball trick worked.

Just not in the way Prospect had intended.

Prospect third baseman Pat Donohue hid the ball in his glove with a Warren baserunner right beside him on Monday afternoon. When that baserunner came off the bag, Donohue tagged him for what he thought was the second out of the fourth inning.

But, in the meantime, Prospect pitcher Willie Sampson had returned to the mound, and since a pitcher isn't allowed to do that without the ball in his hand, the out was waved off, the baserunner was sent home and Warren scored an unexpected and momentum-changing run.

It was one of a couple of wacky plays that went host Warren's way in a 7-2 Class 4A regional championship victory over No. 2 Prospect in Gurnee.

The seventh-seeded Blue Devils, who have won three regionals in the last eight years and their first since 2011, will face No. 3 Mundelein in Thursday's sectional semifinal (4:30 p.m.) at Stevenson.

"The baseball gods were on our side, I think. They worked for us, no doubt," said Warren shortstop Matt Burch, also referring to the two rare errors that Prospect committed when two different pitchers at different stages of the game fielded a bunt and threw wildly, up and over the first baseman's head. Warren eventually scored off of one of those errors.

"It's all part of the game," Burch continued. "I haven't seen (two such wild overthrows to first base in the same game), but I'm glad they happened."

The Blue Devils (25-12) were also glad Burch got his bat going.

With Warren clinging to a 4-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, Burch ripped a triple to left field that brought in 2 big insurance runs. It was part of a 3-run, 3-hit inning for the Blue Devils.

"I was just trying to help the team, just do what I can," said Burch, who went 2-for 3 on the day and also drove in Warren's first run in the first inning. "I try to do my part, but we're one big team and it doesn't take just one hit. This whole team did their job and I'm glad I was able to contribute."

Prospect (27-8) had opportunities to cut into its deficit and threatened to even take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning by loading the bases. But the Knights stranded all three baserunners.

"We seemed out of synch from the beginning," Prospect coach Ross Giusti said. "This was our second game in nine days, and you could tell. We just looked rusty and out-of-synch, and we didn't take advantage of things on offense."

Donohue led the Prospect offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. He drove in the Knights' first run. Meanwhile, Luke Karz, who hit a double, scored Prospect's other run on a wild pitch.

Part of the reason Prospect wasn't able to climb back into the game was the pitching of reliever Sam LaMotte, who has been Warren's most reliable closer.

LaMotte spelled starter Ryan Davila with one out in the fourth inning and allowed just 2 hits the rest of the way. He issued only 1 walk.

"I was so nervous, coming in late in the regional," LaMottte said. "I just controlled all my pitches and hit the outside corner with my curveball and fastball.

"This is great. I just want to keep playing."