Baseball: Lake Park rallies in seventh to edge Conant

With the game tied, the bases loaded, the go-ahead run on third, and the rain beginning to fall, Connor Hogan had one thing on his mind as he stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning: put the ball in play.

That is exactly what he did, as he sent a walk-off fielder's choice bouncing high into the air while teammate Anthony Colella sprinted home to score the winning run as Lake Park defeated Conant 4-3 in a nonconference matchup Thursday in Roselle.

“You got to put the ball in play and let them make a play, especially because of the conditions out here,” said a smiling Hogan. “It was raining a little bit. So all I had to focus on was battling through. I had 2 strikes on me and just put the ball in play.”

The Lancer outfielder had a third-inning single before his heroics. It was the first walk-off run that Hogan had ever driven in.

“That's the first time it's ever happened in my life, and it's just something special I'll remember forever,” he added.

Despite leading for most of the ballgame, it was a come-from-behind victory for Lake Park (7-3).

The Cougars (6-2-1) tied the game at 2-2 on an Andrew Miller RBI double in the sixth before taking their first lead of the day at 3-2 when Conant third baseman Andrew Lipka lined a single into center field to score teammate Colton Thomas from second base in the top of the seventh inning.

“We've come back a few times this year, and they always know that they're still in the game,” said Conant coach Derek Fivelson. “It was nice to see some guys come in the clutch there. Colton Thomas had a great day base running. Lipka had two nice hits.”

It set the scene for the dramatics that followed in the bottom half of the inning.

Gaetano Lazzara grounded out to lead off for the Lancers, but then Nico Gattuso bunted for a base hit and took second base on a throwing error.

Gattuso advanced to third on a passed ball, Colella walked, leadoff man Max Alvarado drove Gattuso in on a bunt single, and then Kaylen Patel worked a walk to load the bases for Hogan.

After his game-winning hit against the Cougars, Hogan is slashing .429/.486/.536 with 12 base hits and nine RBI.

For Lake Park coach Dan Colucci, the awareness and execution from his senior did not come as a surprise.

“He's come up big in all these big situations this year,” said the long-time Lancers skipper. “He's probably one of the hardest working guys we have on our team. He's gotten so much stronger, more confident from last year, so it's been really cool to watch him.”

Hogan, on the other hand, gave the credit to Lake Park’s pitching staff for keeping them in the game.

“It starts with our pitching,” said Hogan. “When they do good, then everybody else flows well.”

Patrick St. John started on the mound for the Lancers, firing 5 1/3 competitive innings.

“It felt good, coming out hot. It was nice out [and] felt like the ball was zipping on my hand,” said St. John.

“He just knows how to win,” added Colucci, about St. John. “He's going to give you a great effort every time out. He's going to take the lessons from this game and be better the next time he pitches.”

Other leading Lancers were Matthew Renger (1-for-3 with an RBI), Carter Magnus (1.2 innings pitched with four strikeouts), and Kaylen Patel, who was on base four times with two extra base hits, two runs scored, and a pair of walks.

“I was just trying to let the ball get deep because I've been pull happy a little bit,” said Patel, who has a 1.393 OPS through nine games. “Try to let the ball get deep and drive it the other way. And that's what kind of worked today.”

The Lancers will get right back after it Friday when they host Neuqua Valley. They begin DuKane Conference play Monday against Wheaton North.

As for Conant, they head to Elk Grove Friday afternoon looking to get back on track.