Burke's blast carries Libertyville into summer state finals

After Libertyville coach Jim Schurr shouted "C.B.!" to Connor Burke so Burke could accommodate an interview request, the incoming senior alertly sprung to his baseball cleats.

"C.B." had seen the baseball especially well in his second-inning at-bat, belting a grand slam to help lift Libertyville to a 6-3 win over McHenry in the teams' regional final at Libertyville on Thursday. The win earned the Wildcats a berth in next week's double-elimination state tournament at Benedictine University and North Central College for the second time in three years.

"It felt good," said a smiling Burke, who started in right field.

Brian Murphy earned the complete-game win, allowing only 1 run after spotting McHenry a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Pitching in a heavy rain the last two innings, Murphy stranded the bases loaded in the seventh.

The right-handed Murphy, another incoming, played little on the varsity in the spring.

"He ran into the buzz saw of being in the same (outfield) with Riley Lees, (Nick) Rossetti and (Sean) Ferraro," Schurr said. "We had a great outfield. Any other year, he's a starter for us. He's so athletic."

Murphy figures to pitch next year too, but his primary position might be a corner-outfield spot flanking Lees, who hasn't played baseball this summer due to a wrist injury he suffered in the second half of the spring season.

Murphy also had a couple of hits against McHenry. He threw out two runners from center field in the Wildcats' semifinal win over Mundelein on Wednesday.

"He's got the ability to be a really good outfielder," Schurr said. "He runs well and has a strong arm."

Libertyville pulled within 2-1 in the second inning when Burke came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. The lefty hitter deposited a pitch over the fence in right field, and the Wildcats never looked back.

It was the first grand slam in the high school career for Burke, who said he had 2 hits (both singles) for the varsity in the spring.

"I didn't play a lot on the team this past spring," Burke said.

Besides Lees, the Wildcats have also played this summer without third baseman Chase Patterson (elbow), who started as a sophomore in the spring. Against McHenry, a couple of freshmen who helped all summer were also unavailable due to another tournament.

"We had some guys step up," Schurr said. "Step up and play well."