Baseball: Hersey rallies for regional semifinal win over Buffalo Grove
Be smooth. That’s Hersey pitcher Keegan Luxem’s advice for teammate Bennett McNeill.
From one college commit to another, that mantra rang true for McNeill as he entered in relief of Luxem on Wednesday afternoon in Hersey’s regional semifinal matchup against Buffalo Grove.
As Luxem, a right-hander and UIC commit, departed with two outs in the top of the third inning at Prospect High School’s Larry Pohlman Field, the Huskies trailed by three runs and potentially more, with two Bison baserunners aboard. Plenty of pressure, but the lefty McNeill looked anything but tight.
“Sometimes I get really stiff on the mound because I’m nervous or anxious,” McNeill said. “[Luxem] tells me to be smooth and relaxed. You’ve done this before and you can do it.”
The University of Wisconsin La Crosse signee struck out the first batter he faced, the beginning of a dominant outing for the senior: 4 and ⅓ innings pitched punctuated by seven strikeouts and one hit allowed. As the Buffalo Grove (11-22-2) offense struggled, Hersey (27-8-1) found its footing at the plate and completed a 4-3 comeback win to advance to the regional finals Saturday.
“Bennett’s been lights out, his ERA is about one for the season,” Hersey coach Wally Brownley said. “He’s been awesome. He’s done everything for us.”
Fresh off its upset of Fremd and winners of four straight, Buffalo Grove jumped ahead when the Bison’s first four batters reached base. Sophomore Drew Carrison scored on junior Jordan Dudek’s fielder’s choice to open the scoring in the first.
“We wanted to be the first team to score, to put pressure on their dugout,” Buffalo Grove coach Bill Montemayor said. “And our guys came out ready to go, were aggressive, and put us in a position to win the game.”
The Bison tacked on two more in the third when Carrison scored on Cole Diaz’s single to left field and Griffin Kelly trotted home on a bases-loaded walk. The recently-crowned Mid-Suburban League champs found themselves in a hole.
“We knew when we got that Buffalo Grove draw, it wasn’t gonna be easy,” Brownley said. “I try to keep [my team] even keel. This is a game, you gotta let it come to you. You can’t play too intense. It’s not like football or basketball.”
Designated hitter Diego Garcia sparked the rally with a single up the middle, then advancing to second on McNeill’s sacrifice bunt. Mikey Sokan kept the line moving when he reached base on a throwing error, which allowed Garcia to score. Senior Charlie Arvanitis then ripped a line drive into deep right field for an RBI triple and later scored the tying run when Luxem, moved to first base, singled up the middle.
“Throughout the whole year we’ve been good at staying composed,” Arvanitis said. “We never let the runs get to us … We never get down, we always stay up, always cheering for our teammates.”
The Huskies moved ahead for good when senior Chuck Meister led off the fifth with a double down the third base line, which extended his program record for career hits and tied the program’s single-season doubles record.
When Kelly, the Bison’s starting pitcher, fired to second base on a pickoff attempt, Meister said he relied on the same strategy that he employed in the two teams’ earlier matchup.
“Once I got back to the bag, I just turned my back [to the pitcher] and the second baseman can’t see the ball,” Meister said.
Meister’s tactic worked, as the ball shot past into center field, granting the senior shortstop an extra base. The senior scored the game-winning run when the next batter, Drew Thomas, chopped a grounder high over the third baseman’s head for an RBI single.
Buffalo Grove was only a few feet from tying the ballgame in the final inning. Leading off for the Bison, Kelly smacked the first pitch he saw deep to right center field. Both he and McNeill thought the drive was a home run before outfielder Wyatt Groberski made the catch on the warning track.
Kelly, a senior who played all but one game on the varsity squad over his four-year career and holds school records in hits and strikeouts on the mound, pitched six innings, striking out six batters. He, designated hitter Emmit Szewc, and Buffalo Grove’s four other seniors provided leadership in what Montemayor called a “tough” season with plenty of ups and downs.
“They’re all a big part of the group, and we’re going to miss them next year and wish them nothing but the best,” Montemayor said.
“It’s been a great time,” Kelly added. “So many great memories, so many great teammates that I’ve had. It’s been one hell of a ride.”