Prospect makes it worthwhile to stick around
Don’t worry if you’re a Prospect fan and you can’t get to Rockford for Monday’s 4:30 p.m. first pitch of the Class 4A baseball supersectional against Glenbrook North.
That’s not a big deal.
But if you consider leaving before the final out, well, that’s a big mistake.
After all, the final out never came for the Knights in Saturday’s Barrington sectional championship game with Warren. Even though the Knights were an out away from what would have been a very difficult defeat.
This team may be down. But they’ve got Mid-Suburban League, regional, and now for the first time in program history, sectional championship plaques to prove they are never out of a game.
“That’s not the plan,” senior Brian Bauer said with a laugh of the Knights’ latest comeback by a 7-6 score in 9 innings. “The plan is always to come out and play our hardest.”
But this team has proved to be tough out. Especially with a lineup filled with them to overcome a day where the top four hitters in the lineup were 3-for-17.
“Everyone on this team is feeling, no matter who is up in the box,” said Prospect winning pitcher Steve Dazzo, “they can get the job done.”
Catcher Kurt Donner had 3 hits and Shane Joyce had a key fifth-inning double. Junior Brad Gerdes, dubbed “Mr. June” by Barrington PA announcer Jeff Price, hit a 3-run homer.
It was Gerdes’ second homer in two games. He came into the sectional with none.
“Anywhere up and down the order we have faith in the guys,” said Bauer, whose two-out RBI single in the seventh tied the game. “Everyone contributed and absolutely everyone never gave up.”
It would have been easy to do so with one out in the seventh and no one on with Valparaiso-bound Ryan Kennedy trying to close out the game for Warren. Leadoff man Luke Bergman was having a rough day with 2 strikeouts and a groundout.
But the hero of Monday’s regional final victory with a game-ending homer got a little advice from assistant coach Trevor Stocking. Bergman then lined a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left-center.
“Luke’s homer really got our energy back up again,” said Prospect coach Ross Giusti.
“Before that I was kind of struggling at the plate and swinging at bad pitches,” said Bergman, whose uncle Dave had a solid 17-year big-league career as a first baseman. “(Kennedy) relies on the fastball … and I waited back as long as I could, got the fastball and hit it. Then I heard the crowd going crazy.”
Then there was Dazzo, who couldn’t remember the last time he pitched before entering in the seventh inning Saturday.
How about nearly three weeks ago? But he showed no effects of the layoff as he minimized a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the seventh to 1 run and left runners in scoring position in the eighth and ninth.
A pretty unforgettable way for Dazzo to get his first varsity victory.
“He deserved that win,” Giusti said. “He’s had so many heartbreaks and he just competes.”
But who doesn’t on this team? Now they’ll likely have one of their fiercest competitors, junior Jack Landwehr (12-2), trying Monday to pitch the Knights into the state semifinals.
One of Landwehr’s losses was 12-2 in 5 innings on April 4 to a talented Glenbrook North team that has won 33 of 36 games in its first year under former Elk Grove star Dominic Savino.
But that was a long time ago. Figure on more drama and thrills and don’t forget your Tums, Rolaids, Maalox or other antacid of choice.
“We’re almost more comfortable being down,” Bergman said. “We know our team can rally at any time.”
Which has made for a nerve-wracking and magical ride where the next stop is Rockford.
mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com