Palatine powers into MSL title game
To start Wednesday’s game, retiring Palatine athletic trainer John Derkits threw out the first pitch.
The school’s 32-year veteran tossed a strike to Pirates junior catcher Mike Czarnik.
A few hours later, Palatine’s baseball team struck for a Mid-Suburban West title.
The Pirates and visiting Cougars slugged it out for seven innings before the home team wrapped it up with 5 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and prevailed 17-10.
Palatine (21-13, 11-5) finished as co-champion with Fremd (17-12, 11-5) but will appear in Saturday’s MSL title game at Prospect due to the tiebreaker (two wins over the Vikings).
It is Palatine’s third MSL division title (2006 and 1990).
“This is a great group of guys — so competitive, it’s ridiculous,” said Pirates shortstop Cody Bobbit, a four-year starter who went 3-for-3 with a double, 2 RBI and 2 hit by pitches. “It’s been a long four years, but it seems so short at the same time.”
The Pirates did not come up short Wednesday of earning a second MSL West crown in five years under nine-year coach Paul Bello, whose team has won 10 of 12 since a 3-1 loss to Prospect on May 2.
“I’m so proud of how our kids responded,” Belo said. “I’m so happy because they’ve worked so hard. Conant did a great job swinging the bats and our kids kept responding.”
Kurt Becker (2-for-3, 2 doubles, 3 RBI), Joe Walsh (2-for-4, 2 walks, RBI), Jesse Bobbit (2-for-4) and Matt Bohlmann (2-for-2, triple, RBI) were also multiple hitters as Palatine celebrated senior day.
“Our pitchers did not throw strikes and we had a couple of errant plays here and there,” said Cougars coach Jerry Song. “But I give our kids credit, they came out hitting.”
Leading the way was No. 3 hitting Joe Belmonte (4-for-4, 2 RBI), who almost hit for the cycle. The senior catcher belted a solo homer in the first inning, singled to center in the third, tripled in the fifth and then singled deep to the gap in right center in the Cougars’ 4-run sixth inning.
Mike Passaro (2-for-3, walk) also belted a homer for the Cougars, a solo shot in the second inning when Pirates winning pitcher David Schalla (5 innings) struck out the side. Alex Miramontes threw the final two innings for Palatine.
The Cougars’ other multiple hitter was Kyle Gizynski, who went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk.
“Give Palatine credit,” Song added. “They had a game plan and they hit the ball.”
The Pirates also turned some nice defensive plays, led by Czarnik. Conant’s first two batters reached on a hit by pitch and walk. But both were thrown out trying to steal second.
Czarnik also picked a runner off first base in the fourth inning when Conant (6-18, 5-11) had runners on first and second with one out.
“That was a big pick for the second out,” Belo said. “And it was a good pick-up by Joe (Walsh, first baseman) who made the tag. Mike (Czarnik) has worked very hard on his defense and he played a heck of a game.”
Czarnik also was 1-for-1 at the plate with two sacrifice bunts, a walk and an RBI.
“Dave was pitching to the right spots and that’s what makes those plays happen,” Czarnik said of his defensive gems. “Joe and I called that play at first. We saw the runner getting a little antsy so we took advantage.”