Baseball: Winning postseason results for Prospect, St. Viator
Prospect's baseball team is still alive in the Class 4A postseason.
The Knights won their regional semifinal at Glenbrook North on Saturday, topping Lake Zurich 6-3.
That advances Prospect (20-11) into Monday's 10 a.m. regional against the host Spartans.
Lake Zurich led 2-0 after the second inning. But Prospect battled back with a single run in the third, and the Knights took the lead for good with a 3-run fourth.
Starter Ben Courtney got the win after allowing 7 hits and 1 earned run over 6⅔ innings. Travis Gates got the final out for Prospect.
Grant Whitebloom doubled and drove in 3 runs for the Knights. Other big hitters included Ryan Howe (2-for-2), Trevor Engquist (double) and Brendan O'Brien (double), and Nick Ergostolo came up with a clutch run-scoring single.
"Ben Courtney really settled down after the second inning and got into a good rhythm," said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "Ergostolo's two-out, 2-run single was huge. That opened up the game, and our defense played with confidence the rest of the way."
Class 3A at Marian Central: St. Viator has won the opportunity to play at home again.
The Lions earned the Class 3A baseball championship at Marian Central on Saturday afternoon by trouncing Antioch 13-2 in 5 innings. That result means St. Viator will host top sectional seed Wauconda in a sectional semifinal at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
There were plenty of hitting highlights for the Lions (22-15) against the Sequoits.
Dan Sullivan finished 3-for-3 with 2 doubles and 3 runs scored. Leadoff man Mike Ragauskis had 2 hits and a stolen base.
Shaun Falbo and Jack Sexton both finished with 3 hits and 3 RBI, and Chris Lolli had 2 hits, including a double.
All that run production was more than enough for Kevin Napoleon, who pitched all 5 innings for St. Viator. He allowed 5 hits and 1 earned run.
St. Viator has now won 4 regional titles in the last 6 years and 6 in the last 11.
"We are playing our best ball ball at the right time," St. Viator coach Mike Manno said. "We are hitting the ball up and down the lineup. Each guy is passing the baton to the next. It is fun to watch."
Antioch advanced to meet St. Viator after topping Woodstock North 3-1 in a Saturday morning regional semifinal.
Class 4A at Maine West: Loyola coaxed 10 walks from Maine West's pitchers to earn a 13-7 victory in regional semifinal play hosted by the Warriors (14-17).
Loyola advances to a 10 a.m. Monday regional final matchup against Mid-Suburban League champion Elk Grove.
Thomas Smart had a double and home run for Loyola.
Maine West cleanup hitter Eric Outlaw finished 3-for-4 with a triple and 2 doubles. Nick Stone also had 3 hits, and leadoff man Jake Riportella had 2 hits, including a double.