Schaumburg shows veteran composure

A fear factor was definitely at work as Schaumburg was on the brink of another upsetting end to a tremendous baseball season.

Geneva had just scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a 1-run lead in Wednesday's Class 4A Larkin sectional semifinal.

It was eerily similar to a year ago when the Saxons were stunned by a Conant rally in the top of the seventh in the sectional semifinals.

"It scared me," said Schaumburg senior George Kalousek. "Everybody is going to be scared it's going to be your last game."

Especially since Schaumburg had six seniors in its lineup and crafty lefty Andy Brandt on the mound.

But a veteran presence that includes juniors Dave Compitello and Mike and Matt Mistrata and a powerful lineup eased those fears.

"We've been here before and we remember last year," said Schaumburg senior second baseman Kyle Pusateri. "That was a heartbreaker and we made sure that didn't happen again."

There was no heartbreak this time for the Saxons. Not that they were exactly overjoyed after their 5-4 escape.

"Get your heads up, we won," Saxons coach Paul Groot said in the dugout minutes after the dramatic finish. "That's what it's all about."

Because there is always some adversity to overcome in a deep tournament run in any sport. It happened when the Saxons won the title in 1997 and in their last Elite Eight trip in 2005.

It occurred again Wednesday. And a lot of the tighter games the Saxons have played in what is now an 8-game winning streak may have paid a big dividend.

"These kids didn't feel pressure," Groot said after the Saxons improved to 6-1 in 1-run games. "They felt we could come back and win it.

"Guys came in and I liked their attitude. They said, 'Let's get two and end it.'"

Their resilience and confidence was evident. Mike Mistrata, who left runners at second and third in the third and fifth innings, got the biggest of his 31 RBI by ripping a tying RBI single to right.

Then Pusateri atoned for an error in the top of the inning by getting the biggest of his 19 RBI with a clutch sacrifice fly.

"Kyle picked himself up at the end and that was huge," Kalousek said.

"That's justice," Groot said. "I would have felt bad for a kid who's a senior to go out that way."

Instead, Pusateri and the Saxons will go out to play again Saturday.