Baseball: Kimpler has the answers as Libertyville tops Grayslake Central

Questions, questions and more questions.

Libertyville pitcher Ben Kimpler certainly could have let them get the best of him.

Would he be rusty? Would his arm hold up? Would he be on his game?

"I was wondering about a comfortability on the mound," Kimpler said. "Would I have it?"

Heading into Thursday's regional semifinal game against visiting Grayslake Central, Kimpler had pitched only one inning over the previous four weeks. He had spent the rest of the time recovering from soreness in his right shoulder.

With the season on the line, Kimpler got the start against the visiting Rams. He wound up providing all the right answers in his limited time on the mound.

Over 3⅓ innings, with a strict pitch count of 60 pitches, Kimpler allowed just 1 hit and no runs and set the tone for Libertyville's 3-0 victory.

The Wildcats (22-11-1) will face Mundelein in Saturday's 10 a.m. regional championship game at Libertyville. Libertyville last won a regional title in 2014.

Grayslake Central, usually a Class 3A team playing up in Class 4A for the first time, finishes with an 18-18 record.

"I just tried to take a deep breath and think that I needed to treat it like any other game, even though this is not any other game because it's do-or-die," said Kimpler, Libertyville's ace. "I knew that I just had to trust myself, trust my infield and trust my outfield and just throw strikes."

Luckily for Kimpler, he had the benefit of a 3-run cushion before he had to throw too many strikes.

Libertyville jumped on Grayslake Central in the bottom of the first inning with 3 hits, one of which was a 2-run double by Tim Calamari off a curve ball by Rams starter Sam Ruhlmann.

Brian Murphy and Ryan Greenberg also had hits and they wound up scoring, as did Daniel Marks, who reached on a walk. It was all the offense that Libertyville would need.

"In a game like this, to get off to a 3-run start like that and to be able to hold them for the rest of the game was pretty awesome," Calamari said. "I kind of knew (Ruhlmann) was going to throw a curveball because it was a curveball count, so I was expecting it and I kind of turned on it.

"I was running down first base and I saw it curving toward the (right field) line and I was like, 'Please stay fair.' And it dropped and that was pretty awesome."

Libertyville never seriously threatened to score again. But Grayslake Central did. The Rams had runners in scoring position in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

"We had chances, but offensive execution has been a challenge for us all year and you saw that again here," Grayslake Central coach Troy Whalen said. "But the kids from Libertyville made the pitches and the plays when they had to. You have to tip your hat to them."

After that rocky first inning, Ruhlmann settled down and also made the pitches he had to make. He allowed only 1 hit and no runs over the next three innings before he was taken out in the fifth.

"In the first inning, I didn't make all the pitches I needed to make and I'll always regret that," Ruhlmann said. "But we talk a lot about competing and I thought after that, I competed throughout the rest of the game and put up three more zeroes. And I just hope that all the other pitchers that come after me at Central compete every pitch … because it goes fast."

There are a few Grayslake Central players who still have a big chunk of their careers left. The Rams have had three freshmen (Coby Moe, Kevin O'Brien and Nic Presutti) and a sophomore (Benton Troehler) in their starting lineup at times this season. Another sophomore, Ray Bradley, is also on the roster.

Meanwhile, for Libertyville, the future is now. Coach Sean Ferrell is optimistic for an extended run through the tournament. His Wildcats swept Mundelein, their regional championship game opponent, during the regular season.

More importantly, he says his players are focused and meshing in just the right way.

"I like our kids' mentality," Ferrell said. "I've liked our team culture all year. They like each other, they pull for each other and that's important. Sometimes I think people discount team chemistry. They'll be up for Saturday."