Baseball: Wild finish sends Libertyville past Prospect, 1-0, in sectional semifinals
Libertyville won in a pinch Wednesday.
Pinch-runner Nick Farmakis scored in the bottom of the seventh on a throw that deflected off his helmet as Libertyville edged Prospect 1-0 in the semifinals of the Class 4A Stevenson sectional in a game played at Vernon Hills because the fields in Lincolnshire were unplayable.
Libertyville (31-4), which is seeded second, will play eighth-seeded and North Suburban Conference rival Lake Zurich in Saturday’s sectional final at Stevenson at 11 a.m. Libertyville swept Lake Zurich in their two meetings this season.
“We just wanted to try to put some pressure on them in the last inning,” Libertyville coach Matt Thompson said. “The leadoff hit was huge, putting the ball in play with Trevor (Wallace) was real nice. We got a break. I had a good view of it. It almost hit me and I would have stopped it. Baseball is crazy that way.”
Farmakis found himself on second base with one out and the Wildcats having runners on first and second. Trevor Wallace hit a ground ball and as Prospect threw to third for the force out, the ball grazed Farmakis’ helmet and went past third base to the screen as Farmakis raced home.
“I was just thinking to go as hard as I could go,” Farmakis said. “I just took a slice to the outside and took one off my head and ran home. I knew as soon as it hit me we had the game. It was beautiful.”
Aksel McKnight came in to pinch hit to lead off the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore, who is left-handed, went the opposite way and lined a single to left.
“I have worked really hard for this moment,” McKnight said. “I was ready for it. I was looking for a hittable pitch and I saw my pitch and decided to just slap it to left field.”
The run ended a pitcher’s duel between Libertyville’s Josh Holst and Prospect’s Ryan Foley. Holst allowed just four hits while Foley gave up six.
“I hadn’t thrown in a playoff game before, so the nerves were there,” Holst said. “I kind of like to use them. I just took deep breaths and I knew this is where I want to be. No better place to be than in the playoffs with my boys.”
Both pitchers were able to pitch their way out jams and keep their opponents off the scoreboard. Prospect (24-12-1) came close to scoring in the top of the first but had a run erased on batter’s interference call on an attempted steal.
The loss ended the storied career for Prospect coach Ross Giusti, who has been at the helm for the Knights for 28 seasons. Giusti, whose team won a regional title in his final home game last Saturday, finished with a career record of 560-368. His win total is second all time among Mid-Suburban League coaches.
“Every kid came out here and gave it everything they had,” Giusti said. “Ryan Foley gave us a heroic effort. Our kids played their tails off. Unfortunately, we were on the short end.
“You can’t ask for anything more as a coach. It was a great script at the end. To have this team be the last team you are ever with, I’ll take them any day of the week. It has been a great ride. The last week seeing former players and people who have been part of our culture, it is about us. Phil O’Grady, who has been my right hand man, along with Brett Kay and my another coaches. There are a lot of people to pay tribute to.”