Aces ready for MSL title-game test

Hersey senior Steve Danielak and Fremd senior Clint Terry are the undisputed aces of their baseball clubs.

It's a two-of-a-kind matchup that figures to draw a fairly full house at 11 a.m. Saturday for the Mid-Suburban League title game when East champ Hersey (24-8) visits West champ Fremd (18-12) in Palatine.

For Terry and the Vikings, it's a chance to erase a 5-0 loss to Rolling Meadows in last year's title game and win their first league crown since 2001.

"We feel more confident and we definitely want it this year," Terry said. "We want it that much more."

Hersey is making its first title game appearance since 2005 and hasn't won it since 1992.

"This is great for a lot of us," said Hersey senior left-hander Ryan Busse after his complete game wrapped up the East title Wednesday. "We've been working with Mr. (coach Bob) Huber so long, we want to say thank you by doing things the school hasn't done lately or ever before."

One thing one of the most potent offenses in Hersey history has done this year is face the left-handed Terry (7-4, 2.62 ERA, 78 strikeouts and 22 walks in 682/3 innings).

Terry, who is between UIC and Southern Illinois for his college choice, shut down the Huskies 7-1 on 5 hits.

"He had a good changeup and good off-speed stuff," said Hersey third baseman Jake Knauss, who is hitting .370 with 4 homers and 32 RBI, "and his fastball moved a lot."

Terry said getting ahead in the count and working with pitching coach Brian Smith on the right sequences was the key against a team averaging 8 runs a game with 35 homers.

"I knew they were a great-hitting team," Terry said. "I like controlling the game and setting my pace. When I get ahead I feel a lot more confident."

That's how Hersey feels when it has Danielak (9-3, 2.86, 87 strikeouts and 20 walks in 71 innings) pitching.

The righty who has signed with Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne has tied the single-season school win record set by former pro Rob Quarnstrom after winning 8 games last year. Danielak didn't pitch in the Fremd loss.

Danielak said his signature pitch, the cut fastball, was close to the best its been all year in Monday's 5-2 win over Prospect. Pitching with the East title at stake was also a good primer for Saturday.

"It was a big game but I tried as much as I could to stay composed and treat it as any other game," Danielak said. "That's what got me through the game."

Senior Zenon Kolakowski, a standout defensive centerfielder who plays first base when Terry pitches, leads the way for Fremd at .440 with 9 doubles in the No. 2 spot.

Second baseman Kevin Ciardiello has been a nice surprise at .370 with a team-high 24 RBI and Fremd coach Chris Piggott likes how he's played defensively lately with shortstop Matt Koeppen. Terry and outfielder Vince Addison have 3 homers and outfielder Evan Wright has been heating up with 2 homers this week.

Bradley-bound third baseman Eric Paulson (.350), Kurt Kaufman (.315, 18 RBI), No. 2 pitcher and outfielder Sean Stutzman (.370, 18 RBI) and catcher Richard Concialdi have also been big contributors.

"When we hit well and our defense is clicking we're a pretty hard team to beat," Terry said. "If either one of those things isn't working we're just pretty much average."

Shortstop Alex Lee (.420, 6 HR, 33 RBI) and Knauss get the offense started for Western Illinois-bound outfielder Domenic Biagini (.360, 7 HR, 37 RBI), first baseman Chris Polinski (.400, 27 RBI), catcher Sean Thompson (.385, 4 HR, 33 RBI) and Danielak (.350, 3 HR, 21 RBI).

There's no break with centerfielder Joe Perricone (.344, 5 HR, 21 RBI) and second baseman Jay Livesay (.404). Senior Alex Gelabert has been hot the last few weeks with 4 homers and 18 RBI.

"There are no easy outs in our lineup," Knauss said.

Hersey (24-8) vs. Fremd (18-12)

When: Saturday, 11 a.m.

Where: Fremd High School

History: Fremd returns to the title game after losing 5-0 to Rolling Meadows last year and Hersey makes its first trip since it lost to Barrington in 2004 and 2005. Fremd, which beat Hersey 7-6 in 2001 in their only meeting for the title, is making its eighth title trip and also won in 1971 and 1974 and shared the 1984 crown with Prospect when the title game wasn't played because of multiple rainouts. Hersey is making its sixth trip and won titles in 1972 and 1992.