Baseball: St. Viator takes scorching run into state semifinals
It would be difficult to be hotter than St. Viator is right now.
And the Lions have picked the right time to heat up.
St. Viator is in the Class 3A baseball state finals for the second year in a row. The Lions (23-15) will meet Marmion (21-16) in the semifinals at noon Friday at Joliet Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
"Our guys are jacked up," St. Viator coach Mike Manno said. "They are very loose and fun to be around. The last two practices have been all business-like - with some fun involved. They are on a mission. It is fun to watch."
St. Viator made the trip to Joliet last year and lost the semifinal game to eventual state champion Lemont. They then lost to Bartonville Limestone as they Lions finished fourth.
That state final experience last year has given this year's group confidence.
"I think there are less nerves," Manno said. 'There are enough guys that were part of this last year, so they have calmed down the rest of the group. And I think the coaching staff is a lot more calm, too."
Calm would not be an apt description of St. Viator's bats, especially since the start of the playoffs.
In their 5 postseason games, St. Viator has hit .423, raising the team's season batting average 18 points to .316. They have struck out just 16 times in those games and have a slugging percentage of .592 in the playoffs.
Manno credits assistant coaches Brett Kay, Brian Mucha, Eric Porter and Joe Ryback for the team's hitting success down the stretch.
"They have all really put in the time to make our guys better," Manno said. "And every one of our kids have bought into that."
The Lions are led by Daily Herald Northwest baseball all-area team captain Cole Kmet, who is hitting .435 with 12 homers and 44 RBI. He also has an astounding .922 slugging percentage.
His brother Casey Kmet, a sophomore, is hitting .426, and freshman shortstop Jack Mahoney is batting .355. Both were all-area team choices.
Michael Wittich (.379), Hunter Johnson (.324), Brett DeSelm (.306), Bryce Hellgeth (.295), John Finnegan (.283) and Joe Sarnello (.262) round out a batting order that has banged out 60 hits and scored 58 runs in the playoffs.
"We are putting the ball in play," Manno said. "Our discipline at the plate has been fantastic."
The pitching has been solid for the Lions as well. Cole Kmet has won 3 of the games, with Hellgeth winning the other 2 and Bobby Perna coming out of the pen.
"We have very good pitching," said Manno, whose staff has allowed 14 runs in the playoffs. "And we have other guys as well. We just have been in games in the playoffs where we have got out to leads and haven't had the opportunity to use them."
Cole Kmet, who threw just 74 pitches last Monday in the Lions' win over Benet, will get the start against Marmion. Manno had thoughts of holding Kmet back, but decided against it.
"We know Marmion's a solid team and they can hit," Manno said. "We have an ace and I just can't go to bed at night knowing that he was sitting on the bench for a third- or fourth-place game."
Marmion is making its first state final appearance. The Cadets play in the Catholic League, who some observers feel is the best conference in the state. They were only a No. 6 seed in their regional but have outscored their opponents 58-13.
"They have four, five guys who have gap-to-gap power," Manno said. "Cole is going to have to pitch one of his best games of the year to beat them."
Manno says his team is up for the challenge.
"We are excited to be here, but just not happy to be here," Manno said. "There is a different look in our kids. There is a job that needs to be done."