Bizarre inning, plus other miscues, too much

Throughout the years, I've probably watched hundreds, if not, thousands of baseball games from the Major League level all the way through T-ball.

And just when I figured I've literally seen every type of play occur in every type of situation, I'm proven wrong -- again.

Take Thursday's Class 4A Larkin sectional semifinal contest between St. Charles North and Wheaton North, for example.

After the third-seeded North Stars (23-12) had seemingly regained momentum, thanks to Matt Stevens' game-tying home run on the first pitch in the top of the fifth inning, a bizarre turn of events occurred in the bottom half of the frame.

With junior southpaw Zach Hirsch summoned to open the inning in relief of senior left-hander Danny Jimenez, the second-seeded Falcons (22-13) began what turned out to be a 3-run rally during their eventual 5-2 triumph in pop-gun fashion.

Would you believe back-to-back batters reached base on dropped third strikes, sandwiched around an errant pickoff attempt?

"All of a sudden, they've got two guys on base without even putting the ball in play," said North Stars coach Todd Genke. "It's tough, and then those two guys come around to score."

Wade Cervenka's RBI double put the Falcons on top for good, 2-1, and Aric Dama's bad-hop single made it 3-1.

By the end of the Alfred Hitchcock-type inning, the North Stars were left to their final 6 outs, trailing 4-1.

Adding insult to injury, another dropped third strike led to Wheaton North's final run in the bottom of the sixth.

"I don't think they had an earned run all day," said Genke. "You give up five unearned runs and you're not going to win too many games."

Other mistakes added to the North Stars' downfall.

After a pair of walks put runners on first and second with 2 out in the third, Jake Thornton delivered what appeared to be an RBI single that would have given St. Charles North an early 1-0 lead.

However, as Colin O'Carroll was racing toward home, Falcons center fielder Bobby Munro threw behind the runner at second base for the third out.

"I'm still kind of shocked it even happened," said Genke. "When you've got a runner getting ready to score, a foot away from the plate, and we get an out. That took a lot of momentum away from us."

Another momentum-busting moment occurred in the fifth when the North Stars were unable to score after loading the bases with 1 out.

"We had the bases loaded with one out and I think one of the best hitters in the state at the plate (Thornton)," said Genke. "I thought about squeezing but you know what, Jake's been through the wars so I was letting him swing away. It wasn't meant to be."

"We just let stuff slip away," added Thornton, who closed the books on an impressive 3-year varsity career with the North Stars. "We had chances in all different parts of the game but just didn't do it."

Despite sophomore Mike Budka's solo home run to lead off the seventh, the North Stars' season came to an end seven pitches later -- nearly one year after they made their first sectional championship appearance on the same field at Larkin (and lost 4-1 to Dundee-Crown in 2007).

"Same place," said Thornton, one of nine St. Charles North seniors who had graduated just four days earlier. "I think it almost was the same score.

"I just can't believe it's over. I know it's a cliché but it goes by so fast that before you know it, it's over. Playing for North the last three years has been awesome. I think I've really improved as a player."

Jimenez, who figures to be selected at some point in next week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, Brian De la Torriente and Sam Weinberg were among the other seniors playing their final games as North Stars.

"It's hard to lose this group because they've been with me for three years," said Genke. "They're very good baseball players but even better than that, they're better people."