Cary-Grove snares 2nd straight regional crown

Chris Waylock has been waiting all year for a fastball he could get his bat on.

After seeing lots of junk in the Trojans' regional semifinal win over Hoffman Estates, Waylock knew if he saw a good fastball from McHenry starter Kevin Wollscheid Saturday he was going to make contact.

Just hours after graduating, the senior got the fastball and then made as much contact as possible, sending it over the left-field fence to give the Trojans a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

Cary-Grove held on to take a 3-1 win in the Class 4A Cary-Grove regional baseball championship game. The regional title is the second in a row and the fourth in the last 6 years for the Trojans (25-12), who will face South Elgin on Thursday in a semifinal game of the Larkin sectional.

"The last game (Hoffman Estates) threw a soft lefty and he threw a lot of junk," said Waylock, who saw 2 curveballs for balls before the fastball. "This game we came out with the mindset to hit the first pitch."

Matt Panek and the Trojans defense did the rest.

The junior pitcher held Mchenry (21-14) hitless in the first three innings and finished allowing just 1 run on 5 hits in 61/3 innings of work. Junior Michael Devoe picked up his third save of the year after forcing Jimmy Bellich, the only batter he faced, into a double play to end the game.

"We felt great, the defense was playing outstanding," said Panek, who moves to 6-2 on the year. "We're flowing so well. Our defense is playing so well."

The Trojans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of first with a run from designated hitter Steve Mihalik, who reached base on a one-out single. Mihalik was brought home on an RBI groundout by Stuart Gaulke

"It was good offensive execution in the first inning," Trojans coach Don Sutherland said. "Panek did a great job. Nine up and nine down (in the first three innings) thanks to great defense."

Waylock homered in the third to extend the lead to 2-0 until McHenry answered back in the fifth. Jordan Oster got a one-out double and was promptly brought home by an RBI single from Bellich.

Panek and the defense responded by retiring the next 6 batters.

Eric Chandler added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth fore the Trojans. The senior catcher led off the inning with a double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Gaulke drove in Chandler with a sacrifice fly to left putting the Trojans back up 3-1.