Fremd's Terry barely outduels Hersey's Danielak

Clint Terry and Steve Danielak delivered a better-than-advertised duel in Saturday's Mid-Suburban League baseball championship game.

But a double by Eric Paulson and a beaten double-play ball by Evan Wright gave Terry and Fremd a rare MSL triple play with a 1-0 victory over visiting Hersey that lasted just an hour and 26 minutes before a big crowd.

"We just wanted it that much more from last year," Terry said of a 5-0 title-game loss at Meadows. "We knew it would be a pitcher's duel. (Danielak) did a good job of keeping us off-balance with his off-speed and the cut fastball."

Terry (8-4), who committed to UIC on Thursday, threw a 3-hitter to give Fremd (19-12) its fifth MSL title and first since 2001.

Fremd also became just the third MSL school to win league titles in baseball, boys basketball and football in the same school year with Maine West (1963-64) and Hersey (1971-72).

"We faced him earlier so I knew it was going to be a duel," Danielak said of Terry's 7-1 win a month ago. "I tried to give us a chance. It's a shame one of us had to lose today."

That was Danielak (9-4) in tough-luck fashion despite allowing only 2 hits, no walks and a fifth-inning unearned run.

The right-handed Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne signee said it was "probably the best I've thrown all year" as he had 5 strikeouts, threw 52 of his 74 pitches for strikes and had four 1-2-3 innings to give Hersey (24-9) a shot at its first MSL title since 1992.

"Both pitchers were amazing today," Fremd coach Chris Piggott said after Danielak didn't go to a three-ball count on any hitter. "He kept us off-balance more than any guy we've faced all year. We couldn't figure him out."

But the left-handed Terry (8-4) figured out Hersey's powerful lineup again. He spread out 5 walks to go with 8 strikeouts and threw 66 of his 109 pitches for strikes.

"Who's beaten that kid four times," Hersey coach Bob Huber asked after his team was shutout for the first time in the last two seasons. "We've seen a lot of good pitchers and he's one of the best."

Terry completed the first 1-0 MSL title-game since Brian O'Grady pitched Rolling Meadows past Buffalo Grove in 8 innings in 1994.

"I knew when we got 1 run," Terry said, "they were struggling to hit me a little bit and I felt confident enough."

That run finally came in the fifth after Danielak had retired 11 straight hitters following Matt Koeppen's first-inning infield single. Bradley-bound third baseman Eric Paulson lined a 1-0 pitch to left-center for a leadoff double.

"He's always had a nasty cutter and he always has me off-balance," Paulson said. "That's why I was looking for the fastball. I really had to stay back on that thing."

After a strikeout, Kevin Ciardiello reached on an infield error and pinch runner Connor McWard took third. Wright grounded a potential double-play ball to shortstop Alex Lee, but the fastest player on the team and 2,000-yard rusher in the fall beat the relay to first as McWard scored.

"It was like one of those fourth-and-1s," Wright said with a laugh.

Hersey had a baserunner in every inning but only three got to second base. Koeppen's scoop and tag of Rich Concialdi's throw got Chris Polinski (2-for-3) trying to steal after he singled to start the fourth.

"We knew from the beginning it would be a pretty close game and we needed to execute," Danielak said.

"At this stage of the season you can't make those mistakes," Huber said of a popped up sacrifice and two botched hit-and-runs. "That's the way it's going to be from here on out."

Hersey had one last threat when Jay Livesay battled from an 0-2 count for a two-out walk in the seventh. Alex Lee, who singled and walked twice, hit a popup to second that Ciardiello caught as he hopped in the air and joined the mob scene at the mound.

"It's pretty special," Paulson said. "Last year was a hard loss but all the seniors wanted to come back and leave on a good note."