Big Day for Barrington in win over Libertyville

Barrington lived dangerously in their Class 4A baseball sectional semifinal at Kirby Smith Field on Wednesday.

But what matters to the ninth-seeded Broncos is they are still alive after needing nearly two hours and 45 minutes for a 5-3 victory over fourth-seeded Libertyville.

"Everything is clicking," said senior catcher Johnny Day, who put Barrington ahead to stay at 3-2 with a two-out solo homer in the fifth. "I don't know what it is but we're all going in the same direction. Everybody is doing what they need to be doing."

What Barrington (20-14) will be doing at 11 a.m. Saturday is trying to win its first sectional title since 2005 against the winner of today's 4:30 p.m. semifinal between No. 2 Stevenson (28-6) and No. 3 Lake Zurich (25-9). If Lake Zurich wins the game time could be changed because of its graduation.

Who and when the confidence-filled Broncos play isn't a major concern right now after juniors Robbie McDonnell and Sean Buchholz overcame 9 walks and 18 Libertyville (23-12) baserunners.

"If we hit like we did today and pitch like we did today and have been," said Barrington senior shortstop Tom Unak, "we can beat anybody, I think."

Unak, who was inserted at shortstop late in the regular season, went 2-for-2 with an RBI single in the sixth. He also made a nice play in the hole and got a good scoop of his throw to first by Buchholz to leave the bases loaded in the fifth.

Late-season sophomore callup Ricky Alfonso (2-for-3) gave Barrington the lead on a 2-run double in the second off Eastern Illinois-bound righty Troy Barton (6-5). Junior Jack Brewer came through with a pinch-hit RBI single for a 5-2 lead in the sixth.

But the biggest shot was the Evansville-bound Day's second homer of the year to right on a low and inside 3-2 curveball from Barton. Libertyville had tied the game in the fourth on RBI singles by Brad Martin and Tyler Schweigert.

"I don't know how that ball got out," Day said of the wind blowing in from center at the start of the game. "I thought I had a chance to maybe get a double. I was halfway to second and said, 'Oh my gosh, that ball went out.'"

The left-handed McDonnell (9-2) had 10 strikeouts and 8 walks as only 55 of his 113 pitches were strikes. But his great escapes included the bases loaded with one out in the third.

"My arm wasn't feeling that great to start out and once I got out there I was kind of rushing," McDonnell said. "When I walked guys I made sure they wouldn't score and kept battling through that."

Libertyville stole 7 bases but stranded 12 runners and had three runners thrown out on the bases.

An RBI single with no outs in the seventh by Lucas Guarnaccio made it 5-3. Guarnaccio stole third on what was supposed to be a double steal with two outs, but a missed sign led to Buchholz getting a force at second for the final out.

"The number of innings we threatened lends credence to our ability to fight and never quit," said Libertyville coach Jim Schurr. "But we didn't put the ball in play enough times (12 strikeouts). Their pitchers pitched well."