Mundelein survives Palatine’s close call

Mundelein frequently won games by 10 or more runs this season.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Mustangs showed they can win the close ones, too. Mundelein had to come up with a big hit in its final at-bat to claim a 1-run victory.

Bryan Wiener produced a walk-off base hit with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“I was battling back, foul ball after foul ball,” said Wiener, who also hit a solo home run into the wind in the fourth inning. “Getting a hit right back up the middle off the pitcher (Eric Scheuermann) ... I was waiting for the fastball.

“It’s the greatest feeling in the world. Getting the game-winning hit was the icing on the cake.”

Top-seeded Mundelein got past pesky No. 14 seed Palatine 3-2 in the Class 4A Glenbrook South sectional semifinal in Glenview.

Mundelein (34-4) advances to face the winner of today’s game between No. 13 seed Highland Park and No. 7 Stevenson. The sectional championship is at 10 a.m. Saturday at Glenbrook South.

“This was our first walk-off win of the year,” said Mundelein coach Todd Parola, whose team has won 13 games in a row. “Most of our games haven’t been close and it’s nice to win this one. The kids responded very well.”

Just a year ago, Mundelein was the top seed but was knocked off by ninth-seeded Palatine in a Class 4A regional final.

“(Palatine) got us last year,” Parola said. “They knocked us out and jumped on us pretty good. I think it’s fitting because Ryan Borucki got the start in that game and wanted the ball in this one. It’s justice that he got the win today.”

Borucki took the mound in relief and pitched the final 2 innings. Borucki had no problems in the sixth, but in the top of the seventh, the Pirates threatened.

With one out, Palatine’s Anthony Fortunato doubled to center field. Mundelein’s defense came up big as Thomas Gandolfi made a stretched-out diving catch in left-center on a drive from Scheuermann.

Kurt Becker then reached base on an infield hit, putting runners on first and third with two outs. Scott Schneberger hit a ground ball to the first-base side of second base. Mustangs shortstop Will Farmer made a diving stop and reached back to the base in time for the force out.

“It felt good to be out there again,” said Borucki of getting on the mound for the second time this spring. “I wanted it bad and finally got called on. My defense helped me out there. It was really big, because every runner on base counts. If you can make all the routine plays and hit the way we can ... We will be fine.”

Mundelein opened the scoring with a couple runs in the fourth inning. First, Wiener hit his solo homer. Then Borucki doubled and took third on a sacrifice bunt from Mitchell Schulewitz. Borucki scored on a groundout by Jordan Bregenzer.

Palatine (18-20) found a way to get a pair of runs off Mundelein starter Matt Langlie in the top of the fifth. Langlie only allowed 1 hit in 4 innings.

The Pirates took advantage of 4 walks and just 3 hits. Michael Czarnik scored from third on a balk called on Langlie. Then, Kurt Becker laced a two-out base hit to right field that brought home Zack Serna from third base.

The Mustangs’ Zackery Pawlowski got the game’s final out with a strikeout.

“We knew what type of opponent we were playing,” Palatine coach Paul Belo said. “We knew it would be a great game with two great pitchers on the mound that compete so well.

“We made a decision to live and die with (Scheuermann) on the mound. It was a great pitch going down and away (on the game-winning hit by Wiener).

“We were able to execute things beautifully and played a great game.”