Kaneland rallies in 7th inning
Kaneland couldn’t have picked a better batter for a do-or-die situation Wednesday at the Class 3A Rochelle sectional, even if that hitter is fighting through his slowest stretch of a scorching hot senior season.
Down to the last two outs of its season, Bobby Thorson turned a potential 3-1 sectional loss into a 4-3 lead with one swing of the bat. Kaneland added 3 more runs for a 6-run seventh-inning barrage, then Thorson came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and close out a 7-4 victory over Marian Central.
Kaneland (22-10), playing in its first sectional, advances to Saturday’s 11 a.m. championship game against the winner of today’s semifinal between Marmion and Rochelle. Marian Central ends its season at 19-11.
Thorson, who has 7 home runs and 42 RBI this year, had been 0-for-3 heading to the seventh inning and hitless in his last 7 at-bats, which qualifies as a slump for someone that hit .424 in the regular season.
“I wasn’t swinging too well all game,” Thorson said. “I don’t think I have ever gone 0-for-4 in my life. I wasn’t about to then.”
Marian starter Ian Maxiener held Kaneland to 1 run through 6 innings. But having thrown 106 pitches, Hurricanes coach Gregg Wikierak turned to Steve Zubrzycki to start the seventh to protect a 3-1 lead.
Zubrzycki had been 6 for 6 in save chances and got off to a good start retiring Kyle Davidson on 1 pitch. But Corey Landers drew a walk taking close 2-2 and 3-2 pitches, then Joe Camiliere nearly tied the game with a double high off the fence in right field.
That brought Thorson to the plate. He hadn’t hit a ball out of the infield in 3 at-bats, but promptly launched a 0-1 fastball over the fence in right field for a 3-run homer. Kaneland’s bench stormed out of the dugout to celebrate when Thorson crossed home plate.
“I was looking fastball,” Thorson said. “I got enough of it. The wind helped me out a little bit. I’ll take it, right?
“I wanted the bat in my hands. I’m just going to get up there with RBI opportunities and try to take advantage of them when given a chance.”
Thorson also hit a grand slam in the seventh inning earlier this year to beat DeKalb.
“Bobby was due,” Aversa said. “We just had a feeling, we knew something was going to pop and Bobby was it. Seems like he’s always the one. Any time he wants to lead we’ll follow.”
The Knights did just that, following Thorson’s blast with 3 insurance runs in the seventh. Jake Razo delivered the key blow, a 2-run single to left not all that different from his game-winning 2-run smash that beat Sycamore in the regional finals off the third-base bag. Corey Landers also drove in a run with a single.
“After that (Thorson’s homer) it was a big relief off our chest,” said Davidson, who pitched the first 5 1/3 innings. “We just sat back and stroked it.”
Marian scored once in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate with no outs before Thorson retired three straight for his second save of the year.
Drew Peters (3-1) earned his second postseason win finishing the sixth inning for Davidson who allowed only a 2-run homer to Scott Taylor in the first and a run in the sixth.
Taylor’s early home run had the Knights playing from behind all game. Sam Komel cut the lead in half with his solo homer in the fourth.
Kaneland’s defense made plenty of plays to keep the Knights within striking distance. Camiliere took extra bases away with a diving catch in center. Trevor Heinle, Komel and Tyler Heinle turned a rare 6-3-2 double play to end Marian’s fourth inning.
The Hurricanes left four runners in scoring position in the first two innings and 11 runners on base in the game.
“First four innings, we didn’t get the big hit,” Wikierak said. “It was a great game. I thought we played good enough to win. I don’t want to take anything from them.
“Ian was unbelievable. We pulled him because he had 106 pitches. We thought we were putting ourselves in a very good position.”
Davidson, Camiliere, Komel and Razo all had 2 hits for the Knights who will see a familiar foe Saturday.
It’s either Rochelle, who Kaneland beat three times in conference play, or Marmion, a traditional nonconference foe. This year’s scheduled game with the Cadets was rained out.
Thorson will be ready to go against whichever team wins, and the Knights will enter a confident bunch after their most impressive comeback win to date in a season chock full of them.
“We’re one of those teams that sixth or seventh inning, you get to the top of our order again and something clicks, I don’t know what it is,” Aversa said. “That’s our mantra this year, we’ll come from behind.”