Naperville Central savors regional title
The Naperville Central baseball players all piled on each other at the pitcher’s mound after winning pitcher Jimmy Nashert got the final Downers Grove South batter to fly out to right fielder Kevin Linne and finish a 5-1 victory Saturday in the Class 4A Downers Grove South regional final.
There was the presentation of the title plaque, family members of the players came out to take photos and the Redhawks savored the knowledge that they will play another day.
But added to that mix of achievement and celebration was the sweet taste of revenge.
The Naperville Central players who returned for the 2012 season helped the memory of last season’s 3-1 regional final win by Downers Grove South fade away.
“This is awesome,” Nashert said holding the title plaque. “We lost to them last year and just wanted to get revenge. I just wanted to throw strikes and make them hit it.”
The fifth-seeded Redhawks (25-12) advance to Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. Romeoville sectional semifinal against top-seeded Plainfield North, a 3-2 winner over Benet also Saturday in the Plainfield North regional final. The two sectional semifinal squads have not faced each other this season.
Nashert allowed just four hits, struck out three and gave up one unearned run.
“Jim gave us a chance. He was throwing his three pitches over the plate for strikes,” said Redhawks coach Mike Stock.
It also was a strong day at the plate for Nashert. In the third the junior leadoff hitter singled to center with two outs. Nick Ryan, running for Nashert, moved to third on Nick Lopez’s second single of the contest. A fielding error scored Nashert and put Ian Lewandowski on base and Naperville Central led 1-0.
That lead lasted until the fourth. The Mustangs’ Joe Becht reached on an error and scored on Alex Galik’s single to right. The lower part of the Redhawks’ lineup played a factor in Naperville Central breaking the game open.
No. 8 hitter Jeff Lucas singled to left to start the inning for his first of two hits. No. 9 Linne reached on an error that moved Lucas to third. Nashert’s groundball out scored Lucas, and Lewandowski reached on yet another error that scored Linne and the Redhawks were up 3-1.
“I was seeing the ball well. I was looking for a fastball and tried to put on a swing on it,” Lucas said.
Lucas led off the seventh with a single to center and Linne reached on a bunt. Nashert’s sacrifice fly scored Lucas to make it 4-1, and Ross Murphy singled to score Linne for the final run.
“I’m thrilled for these kids. We have a process and the kids have been trying to learn that process and you hope you get to this day and Wednesday,” Stock said.