Glenbrook South responds, ousts St. Viator

St. Viator's baseball team came within one pitch of winning its fourth regional title in the last five years. But Glenbrook South was able to rally for a pair of runs to down the Lions 4-3 on Monday in Glenview.

"Tough way to lose," St. Viator coach Mike Manno said. "Walks can kills you. We had an 0-2 pitch and they get a double down the line. We battled, they battled. It was a well-played game."

St. Viator (23-14), which had an opportunity to tie the school record for victories, looked in great shape, leading 3-2 heading into the top of the seventh. Things looked even better when the first two Titan batters were retired, one on a fabulous diving catch by Ben Dickey.

But the next batter walked, and then with two strikes on him, Peter Stellas doubled just inside the right-field line. Jordan Libman followed with a single to center, driving in 2 runs to put Glenbrook South (22-11) ahead.

Matt Darling walked and stole second after two were out in the Lions' half of the seventh. But George Karavidas got a strikeout to end the game.

"I am proud of this group," Manno said. "They had a great year. It was just not the way we thought it would end."

South led 1-0 in the fourth, when the Lions scored a run without a hit to tie the game.

Dan Sullivan was hit by a pitch and Cole Kmet reached on an error. Jason Wilhite then lifted a an easy pop fly that some how eluded the second baseman, scoring pinch runner Nick Pugesek.

Again South forged ahead to lead 2-1, when the Lions finally were able to get some hits.

Darling broke up the no-hitter with a single, Sullivan was hit by another pitch and Kmet singled to load the bases. Wilhite lofted a fly down the line that just eluded the right fielder for a single to tie the game at 2.

Glenbrook South went to ace Fitz Stadler, who had thrown 115 pitches on Thursday, to come on in relief. The Arizona State-bound Stadler, who throws in the low 90's, got a strikeout and faced Kevin Monson, who is nearly a foot shorter than the 6-foot-8 Stadler.

After taking a strike, Monson executed a perfect suicide squeeze down the first base line, scoring Sullivan standing up.

"We have practiced that for the four years I have been here," Monson said. "They told me we were going to go to it. I have done it before and I was pretty confident to get it down."

The Lions had a chance to extend their lead, but Stadler got a strikeout to end the threat.

"Today was disappointing," said Dickey, who will play at Northwesten next year. "But the season was a lot of fun, especially after I came back from my hamstring injury. It is the most fun I have ever had with a team."

Darling said the quiet Lion bats hurt his team's chances.

"We didn't get the bats going early enough," Darling said. "We made a run in the fourth and the sixth, but it just wasn't enough."