Baseball: Somonauk ousts Elgin Academy

Elgin Academy's baseball players considered themselves battle tested entering Thursday's Class 1A sectional semifinal against Somonauk at Judson University, but the young Hilltoppers learned from a 4-3 defeat what it will take to advance deeper in the state tournament next spring.

"This team was put in a dogfight and learned how to fight," Elgin Academy coach Steve Shapiro said. "As upset as they are about losing right now, that's how motivated they are about next year."

Junior-laden Elgin Academy (21-10) rallied from a 2-0 deficit after an inning with a run in the second inning and 2 more in the third to take a 3-2 lead. Ian Wilson tied the game with a run-scoring triple. He then scored to take the lead when Andrew Wilson's flyball to right field fell safely between colliding Bobcats.

That's how it stayed until the bottom of the sixth, when Somonauk (21-6) made its move. Facing Elgin Academy starting pitcher Johnathan Cruz (6-1), the Bobcats rallied for 2 runs on 2 hits to flip the lead. No. 3 hitter Johnny Johnson hit a one-handed bloop single to right field, scoring Nate Wegener, who led off with an infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch.

"Just a bloop hit," an exasperated Cruz said after his 98-pitch outing. "That's part of baseball."

Later in the inning, the Bobcats put runners at second and third with one out. Shapiro opted to intentionally walk No. 6 hitter Jacobs Kenyon to set up a force at any base with right fielder Brady Kreiter up next. However, Kreiter worked the count full and drew a run-scoring walk on a high fastball from Cruz to put his team ahead 4-3.

"Being prepared to play from behind in this sectional has been a focus of ours," said first-year Somonauk head coach Troy Felton.

Cruz singled with two outs in the top of the seventh to keep Elgin Academy alive, but Johnny Johnson (6-2) finished off his 2-inning relief win by striking out Ian Wilson swinging.

The victory advances Somonauk to the Harvest Christian Academy sectional title game at Judson on Saturday at 10 a.m. The Bobcats will face Walther Christian (12-22), which defeated Harvest Christian 3-2 in the first semifinal at Judson.

The Hilltoppers vowed to put the lessons learned Thursday to good use.

"We'll be back here next year. I firmly believe we have the talent," Ian Wilson said. "We have to work hard and take this experience and learn from it and remember how it felt."