Baseball: Fricke, Buffalo Grove prevail at Palatine
It was Z with the K, and then finally the W, for Buffalo Grove on Saturday.
Zach Fricke delivered a base-loaded single to right in the bottom of the ninth to lift Buffalo Grove past Palatine 3-2 in the Class 4A baseball regional final at Palatine.
It is the second consecutive regional title for the Bison (27-6), who advance to the St. Viator sectional Wednesday against sixth-seeded Warren. The two teams met last year in the sectional semifinals, with Warren eliminating the Bison.
Fricke also pitched 6-plus innings for Buffalo Grove, striking out a career-high 15 batters. He gave way in the seventh after Palatine rallied to score a pair of runs to tie the game at 2-2.
"This is the spot I wanted to be in," Fricke said. "I wanted to be the guy to finish out the game. That's the way it ended up being. I wish we could have done it in 7, but any way to get it done."
Fricke said the heat and high pitch count finally got to him in the seventh.
"This might have been my best game ever," said Fricke, who walked none, allowed 7 hits and hit a batter. "I have been close to 15 strikeouts, but never 15. I was getting a little tired. I wanted to finish the game, but Andy Greenberg came in and did an unbelievable job."
Palatine (21-15) had been stymied by Fricke through six innings. But just like on Thursday, the Pirates rallied in the seventh inning.
Matt Helms led off with a double. After a wild pitch, Helms scored on Brent Penrose's single. Penrose, who took second on a throwing error, scored on Luke Stoffel's single to tie the game at 2.
Greenberg, who has been solid for the Bison all season, came in with one out and proceeded to end the Pirates' rally but getting a strikeout and an infield pop out.
"Andy has been unbelievable for us all year," Buffalo Grove coach Tim Miller said. "He has come in in huge situations. He was a kid we were counting on to be strong as senior, and he has battled and competed and lived up to everything we asked of him."
Greenberg shut down the Pirates over the next two innings. He allowed just one baserunner, but left him stranded at second in the ninth.
"I knew I had to keep them off the board there in the seventh," said Greenberg, who improved to 5-1 on the season with 3 saves. "I knew I have one of the best defenses in the area behind me. I knew I just had to throw strikes and pitch to contact, and that's what I did."
In the Bison ninth, Buffalo Grove loaded the bases with two outs. Carter Gledhill, who was the only hitter to that point to reach base on a hit, was able to trot home when Fricke drilled a shot to right field with the game winner.
"I didn't even play and I feel mentally exhausted," Miller said. "Our kids battled today. I don't think we played our best game, which was obvious. We didn't give Fricke enough run support and we were stupid on the bases."
Buffalo Grove appeared to have things in complete control early.
After Fricke struck out the side the start the game, the Bison lined up 4 consecutive hits to take a 2-0 lead. Fricke singled, TJ Constertina doubled and Riley Rundquist singled them both home to make it 2-0. Mac Camardo single after that and then the Bison had 3 hard-hit balls that ended in outs to end the inning.
"We got to a great start," Rundquist said. "I don't know what happened after that."
What happened was Palatine's Jason Rivera began to bear down on the Bison. Rivera, who pitched 8 innings, had a hand in erasing the next five Bison baserunners. Rivera picked three off, there was a caught stealing and the Rivera caught an attempted bunt on the fly and turned it into a double play.
"He was tremendous for us," Palatine coach Paul Belo said. "He was a little up in the zone to start the game. He just continued to deal. That what's we expect a senior to do, especially on his home field. He didn't give in. Not one bit."
Belo said that his kids battled again until the end.
"I am just so proud of our kids," Belo said. "The moment was there to tie it up and they did. We feel lucky to be part of something like this."