Prospect, Palatine earn shots at regional titles

Prospect and Palatine were two of the youngest baseball teams in the Mid-Suburban League this spring.

Now the Knights and Pirates have parlayed their experience into regional championship game berths in the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association summer tournament.

Both teams got solid pitching performances for the third straight game Wednesday to win regional semifinals. Jack Mullenix threw a 5-hitter for Prospect (18-5) in an 8-1 win over Fremd (9-13), and Phil Brand allowed only 2 earned runs for Palatine (22-8) in an 8-3 win over Buffalo Grove (9-13).

Top-seeded Prospect will host its regional championship at 2 p.m. today against No. 10 Glenbard North, a 6-1 winner over Streamwood.

Third-seeded Palatine will host its regional championship about a half-hour after the conclusion of a 2 p.m. semifinal between No. 1 Warren and No. 14 Highland Park. Their game was postponed because of rain Wednesday.

Mullenix just missed giving Prospect a third straight shutout as the left-hander finished with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Prospect coach Ross Giusti laughed about his team finally giving up a run. "I can't complain about that. Our defense really stepped up and (Mullenix) was outstanding."

Shortstop John Coen, who will pitch today, and second baseman Matt Molini turned a pair of double plays. A 2-run double by Peter Bonahoom and an RBI grounder by Steve Dazzo in the first gave Mullenix all the runs he needed.

Miles Osei also had a 2-run single with two outs and the bases loaded and Dazzo had an RBI infield single.

"We've had some good timely hitting and some big two-out hits that have really helped," Giusti said.

Brand had 5 strikeouts and 2 walks for Palatine, which had gotten consecutive 10-0 wins from Byron Skinner and Tom Galvan.

"Buffalo Grove is a vastly improved team and they played with some high energy," said Palatine coach Paul Belo. "Phil seemed to be in control and our defense picked it up."

Second baseman Joe Campe was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and Skinner hit a 3-run homer in the third for a 5-0 lead. Shortstop Cody Bobbit and Campe also turned a game-ending double play.

In Tuesday's five-inning win over Loyola, Galvan needed only 77 pitches in a 2-hitter.

Fifth-seed Maine West was eliminated in the Fenwick regional semifinals with a 6-2 loss to top-seed Nazareth.