IC walks off with super win in 10th inning

Immaculate Conception nearly had a dream walkoff home run in the bottom of the 10th inning Tuesday night at Benedictine University.

Instead the Knights gladly settled for a walkoff passed ball.

"We'll take it any way it comes," IC baseball coach Dan Holleman said.

Immaculate Conception (30-10) took a 5-4 victory against Herscher in their Class 2A supersectional in Lisle to advance to the state semifinals against Teutopolis at 3 p.m. Friday in Joliet.

Jose Godinez led off the 10th inning with a deep flyball to left field that 6-foot-5 Jordan Ruckman reached over the outfield fence to catch. But Carlos Rodriguez followed with a bloop double to center field, then moved to third on a balk called against Herscher pitcher Justin Ruckman.

Herscher intentionally walked Austin Hennessy and Steve Maloney to load the bases for Robert Rivera, setting up the walkoff passed ball.

"Crazy, both plays," Godinez said. "The kid made a good play on me in left field. I thought it was gone."

"A lot of pressure, and for the most part neither team buckled under the pressure," Holleman said. "A lot of good defensive plays, a lot of good pitching out here today. It comes down to one passed ball there at the end. Obviously, we're the beneficiary, and we'll take it any way we can."

Godinez (7-3), a junior who also hit a long out about 400 feet to the warning track in center field in the first inning, had to settle for making his biggest impact on the mound in relief of starter Matt McMahon. Taking the mound with the game tied at 4, Godinez struck out 13 in 52/3 innings, allowing just 1 hit.

"He's been doing it for us all year," Holleman said. "I thought that one was gone there in the 10th, but the kid made a (heck) of a catch out there. And his pitching has been lights out. The sectional semifinal game, the same thing. He came in and pretty much struck out everybody. He did the same thing today. He's on top of his game right now."

Herscher took an early lead, going up 3-0 before the Knights struck for 4 runs in the bottom of the third. Herscher tied the game in the top of the fourth, but the relief pitchers settled in and gave up nothing, making for a long but exciting night of baseball for the Knights.

"I'm tired," Godinez said with a heavy sigh through a bright smile. "I don't even know what to say anymore."