Scouting Fox Valley area sectionals
Class 4A DeKalb sectional
Semifinal pairings: Larkin (21-16) vs. Rockton Hononegah (30-7), Wednesday at 4 p.m.; Cary-Grove (28-8-1) vs. Huntley (30-6-1), Thursday at 4 p.m.; Winners play for sectional championship on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Outlook: Larkin will send senior ace Luc Geier to the mound against Hononegah, which breezed to an undefeated NIC-10 conference title. Geier (7-2, 2.30 ERA, 64 IP) has turned in some of his best outings in Larkin's biggest games. He out-dueled St. Charles North's Nebraska-bound Zach Hirsch with a 3-hit shutout, and he held Upstate Eight champion Neuqua Valley to 1 run in 9 innings of an eventual 3-1 loss. "He's been keeping us in every ballgame," first-year Larkin coach Matt Esterino said. "The Upstate Eight is a dogfight every night and you see some pretty good pitching. Luc gives us a chance to win every time he throws." Hononegah won its first NIC-10 conference title in 14 years without losing a game in league play. The Indians will reportedly pitch either Dustin Meier or Ryan Scarpetta in the sectional. Meier (10-1) threw a 2-hit shutout and struck out five in a regional semifinal win over Guilford last Thursday.
Cary-Grove and Huntley played once this season on a soggy, cold day in Cary. The Trojans won the game 4-3 on April 20, handing Huntley starter Craig Lipp (8-1, 0.91 ERA, 82 strikeouts) his only loss of the season. SIU recruit Tanner Funke (9-3, 1.78, 98 K) and Judson-bound Zach Liebman (9-1, 1.72, 65 K) give the Red Raiders the pitching depth necessary for a deep playoff run. Catcher Jimmy Gordon (.485) returned to the batting order in the regional title game for the first time in three weeks. He'll likely hit Thursday, coach Andy Jakubowski said. Other hitters to watch include Funke (.377 avg.), junior Phil Pupillo (.376) and Lipp (.331, 15 2B, 9 HR).
The Red Raiders have advanced to a sectional for the first time since 1987. I told the kids it will be a tight ballgame," Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski said. "I expect it will come down to which team executes offensively in terms of getting the leadoff hitter on, getting him over and getting him in. It will come down to offensive execution and defense. I anticipate a good game."
Cary-Grove is playing sectional baseball for the third time in six seasons and the first time since 2006, when the Trojans advanced to a Class AA supersectional. Cary-Grove leads with the 1-2 pitching punch of seniors Corey Bruns (8-3, 3.44 ERA) and Matt Nelsen (10-0, 3.11). Nelsen is 18-0 as a starter over two seasons. The Trojans have a powerful, fleet-footed attack. 92 bases in 115 attempts and three regulars are hitting over .400: shortstop Chris Waylock (.459, 8 HR, 39 RBI); catcher Luke Mottashed (.429, 11 2B, 31 RBI); and outfielder Eric Chandler (.429, 26 RBI). Four others hit .333 or better and the Trojans hit .360 as a team.
"We just need to come out confident but not overconfident," Mottashed said of facing Huntley. "We need to be strong defensively and everything will fall into place. If we're all focused, we'll adjust every time up if they're pitching us a particular way."
Advancement: The DeKalb sectional champion will face the winner of the St. Charles North sectional in the Rockford supersectional at RiverHawks Stadium on Monday, June 8, time TBA.
Class 3A Rochelle sectional
Semifinal pairings: Oswego (9-19) vs. Freeport (16-15), Wednesday at 4 p.m.; Burlington Central (24-6) vs. Rock Island (25-12), Thursday at 4 p.m.; Winners play for sectional championship on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Outlook: Burlington Central's relative youth is not an issue at this point. The Rockets start only two seniors, three when Dave Hartwell (6-2, 1.95 ERA, 45 Ks) takes the mound, as he likely will on Thursday. Their leading home run hitter is freshman Tanner Scott, who tied the school's single-season home run record when he hit No. 9 in a 6-5 regional title game victory over Kaneland on Monday. Their leading pitcher is a sophomore; Nick Hahn (11-0, 1.65) broke the program record for single-season victories with a complete-game win against Kaneland. Catcher Austin Jarvis (.484, 12 2B, 6 HR) and Scott (.430, 11 2B, 9 HR) homered in both regional games. Other top hitters for Central include Hahn (.434, 8 2B, 4 HR), senior Bill Rodriguez (.377), junior Drew Stover (.354 8 2B), junior Jeff Ehlers (.333, 8 2B) and sophomore leadoff man Sam Klein (.323, 31 runs).
Rock Island junior Michael Fisher held Rock Island Alleman at bay in a 3-1 regional title game victory last Saturday, allowing a solo home run among 6 hits. The Rocks have won three sectionals, most recently in 1999, when they qualified for the Class AA Elite Eight. Freeport is in a sectional for the 15th time, the first since 1997. The Pretzels are led by pitchers Kevin Flack and Beau Petta. Freeport is seeking its first sectional title. Oswego beat Yorkville 4-3 to win its sixth regional title since 1967 and first since 2004. The Panthers have never won a baseball sectional.
Advancement: The Rochelle sectional champion will face the winner of the Washington sectional in the Rockford supersectional at RiverHawks Stadium on Monday, June 8, time TBA.