Dazzo gives Prospect a dazzling ending
Steve Dazzo has not been swinging the bat the way he would like this season.
But the Prospect junior produced a huge swing in the Mid-Suburban League baseball race in Tuesday afternoon's completion of a suspended game with Palatine.
Dazzo's 3-run homer to left-center on an 0-2 pitch with one out capped a 4-run bottom of the ninth inning as Prospect (13-8, 6-3) won 9-6 and moved into a first-place tie in the East with Hersey.
"I've been struggling this year, but I love those situations no matter what sport it is," said Dazzo, who came in hitting .182 with 1 homer. "I've kind of been doing that all year, hitting those high fastballs. I felt confident on 0-2 and told myself I was going to get the job done."
Dazzo ended 17 brief but drama-filled minutes after Friday's game was stopped at 5-5 after eight innings because of darkness. The Knights knew they couldn't wait to pull off a dramatic 4-run rally the way they did in the seventh inning against Palatine (12-11, 5-4).
"We knew coming from the start we had to come out with high intensity," said Dazzo, who gave the Knights a chance Friday with 5 strikeouts in 31/3 innings of 1-hit relief. "Lately our common theme is we've waited until the later innings to get going."
Palatine was looking to move a game behind West leader Fremd and into a second-place tie with Hoffman Estates. With two out and Cody Bobbit on second in the top of the ninth, Mike Luschen was intentionally walked but cleanup man Dan Haze (2-for-5, 3 RBI) lined an RBI single to right-center off Miles Osei.
"Haze had a great swing and took advantage of his opportunity," said Palatine coach Paul Belo.
But Osei, who started Friday and had 8 strikeouts in 42/3 innings, left runners at first and third with a fly to left.
The game then took a sudden turn for the Pirates and tough-luck losing pitcher Kurt Becker. He had runners at second and third with no outs after errors on Jack Landwehr's grounder and Osei's sacrifice bunt and a passed ball after Kyle Kapka fouled off a sacrifice attempt.
"It felt pretty much like sudden death," said Kapka, who had the tying two-out RBI single in the seventh Friday. "Once they got the first run our bench got into it.
"I knew I had to come through. I knew I had to get a basehit and drive the run in."
It looked as if Kapka would drive in the tying and winning runs as Luke Bergman came in on his bouncing single to left. But a perfect relay from Trey Cannon to Joe Campe to Kevin Klein nailed Osei at the plate.
Kapka took second and Thomas Kelly was intentionally walked. That set up Dazzo's dazzling finish and latest twist to division races that seem destined to go down to the final day.
"That's the great thing about this year," said Prospect coach Ross Giusti. "There's so much parity in the league this year that anybody can beat anybody on any given day."