Baseball: The battle in Palatine, Fremd befits Macahon

Chris Macahon is fighting from behind. And it seemed to rub off on Palatine's baseball team Wednesday.

Macahon, who graduated from Palatine last June and was diagnosed with colon cancer in December, was honored with a fundraiser Wednesday at Palatine during the game between the Pirates and crosstown rival Fremd.

Nearly 600 people from all over Palatine came out in 45-degree temperatures for food, t-shirts and raffle prizes donated by local Palatine businesses. Macahon was overwhelmed by the response.

"It was a great atmosphere," Macahon said. "It was more than a ballgame to me. It was great to have the community come out and support me."

Macahon, who was three-year starter for Palatine's baseball and basketball teams, has been receiving chemotherapy treatments since the diagnosis. He recently completed his sixth of 12 treatments and had a full body scan.

"I feel great," said Macahon, who was named an honorary assistant coach by Palatine coach Paul Belo.

"I got some scans done and everything looks good inside me. I am looking to be done with chemo in July and hoping to get back to playing baseball after that."

With Macahon's fight on their mind, Palatine found a way to fight back as well. The Pirates rallied for 3 runs with two outs in the bottom the seventh to edge Fremd 3-2.

"It was just a lot of guts," Belo said. "I am so proud of the way the kids battled. We talk about competing until the last out. And to do this with this type of atmosphere is fantastic."

Palatine (13-11, 7-4) appeared to be all but done with two out and no one on base in the bottom of the seventh. But the Pirates rattled off 4 consecutive singles before Jack Grochowski's infield single won it for the Pirates.

"The back end of our lineup, to compete like that," Belo said. "They got things going for us."

Charlie Van Dyke, who eventually picked up the win, got things started by lining a single to right. Anthony Portera, who followed next, found himself down in the count 1-2. He then fouled off the next three pitches before singling up the middle.

"I just shortened my swing up and fought off every pitch," Portera said. "I was waiting for the one I could drive. He threw my a fastball and I hopped on it."

With a 3-2 count on him, Danny Amato singled to right center, scoring Van Dyke as Portera went to third.

The Pirates then tied the game on controversial play at first base.

Matt Lamm hit a slow roller to the right of the pitcher's mound. Relief pitcher Joe Smaga fielded the ball and reached for Lamm, who was speeding down first base. Lamm was ruled safe and the call held up after the umpires conferred.

"In that moment I could not feel anything," Lamm said. "I was thinking about running as fast as I could. And I think that is the fastest I have ever run."

Portera scored to tie the game and Amato, who'd stolen second earlier, went on to third. He then scored when Grochowski, after fouling off a pair of two-strike pitches, beat out a slow roller to third base.

"I never got down on us," Grochowski said. "I was just going up swinging no matter what. I just wanted to put the ball in play."

Fremd coach Chris Piggott was disappointed his team couldn't get hits when they needed them to support a fine effort by starting pitcher Eric Bennes.

"They executed when it mattered and we didn't," said Piggott, whose team fell to 12-6 and 9-3. "We had lots and lots of chances to score. We had at least 4 innings with runners on third base and didn't score."

Belo and Piggott were impressed how the community of Palatine responded on such a cold day.

"I just felt so good about this kind of benefit," Belo said. "For the people of Palatine to support it and all the businesses along with our faculty and Eric Millstone is beyond belief."

"It was a great crowd," Piggott said. "He had all the support. It is a tough situation. But he is a quality kid and this was a great cause."