Baseball roundup: Hinsdale Central stuns Benet with 5 runs in 7th; York upsets Willowbrook; Geneva claims 3A regional title

Senior Alex Garchar capped a 5-run seventh-inning rally with the game-winning RBI single to lift Hinsdale Central to a 7-6 Class 4A regional championship victory over Benet Academy Saturday in Lisle.

Trailing 6-2 after 6 ½ innings, the 3rd-seeded Red Devils (26-11) staged their dramatic late-inning comeback for their first regional championship since 2021.

Hinsdale Central advances to Wednesday’s 7 p.m. Lockport sectional semifinals against No. 2 seed Naperville Central.

Notre Dame-bound Quinn Rooney provided the 6th-seeded Redwings (20-14) with an early 2-0 lead thanks to his 2-run home run in the top of the first inning.

The Red Devils narrowed the gap to 2-1 in the second when Patrick Connors (2 for 3, 3 runs scored, RBI) singled, stole second and third, and scored on Billy Main’s sacrifice fly.

Boston College-bound Connors drove in a run with a groundout in the third to trim the deficit to 4-2 before Benet extended its cushion to 6-2 on Rooney’s sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Main earned the victory with 4 scoreless, 1-hit innings of relief and 4 strikeouts.

Other offensive heroes for the Red Devils included Wes Novatney (3 for 4), Owen Sunderson (1 for 5, triple, RBI), Dylan Kassab (1 for 2, 3 walks, run scored, RBI), and Garchar (2 for 5, 2 RBI, run scored).

York 5, Willowbrook 2: The 9th-seeded Dukes (16-19) earned their fifth consecutive Class 4A regional title with Saturday’s 5-2 upset of top-seeded Willowbrook in Villa Park.

Chris Winton went 3 for 3 with an RBI and run scored, while Blake Yarkowski (4 2/3 IP) and Danny Raible (2 1/3 IP) combined on a 3-hitter.

York pushed across 3 runs in the third, then added a pair of insurance tallies in the seventh.

Ben Swanson had an RBI in the bottom of the seventh for the Warriors, who finished their record-breaking season at 29-7.

Bartlett 3, Batavia 2, 11 innings: The Upstate Eight West champion Hawks (25-10) rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the seventh before pushing across the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th inning on Vince Yario’s RBI during their 3-2 Class 4A regional championship victory over Batavia Saturday in Bartlett.

Seven different players contributed at least one base hit, as the 3rd-seeded Hawks captured their second consecutive regional title.

Offensive leaders included Brandon Pelz (3 for 4, RBI), Mason Leiterman (2 for 4, double, 2 walks, run scored), Yario (2 for 5, run scored), Ryan Smith (1 for 5, RBI), Josh Colaizzi (1 for 5), and Ryan Raethz (run scored).

Pelz started the game on the mound and worked 6 scoreless innings of 3-hit ball with 1 walk and 8 strikeouts before giving way to Colaizzi, who picked up the win, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 3 strikeouts in 5 innings.

With the win, the Hawks advance to their own sectional semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday against No. 2 seed Maine South.

Batavia, the 11th seed, finished its season at 13-22-1.

Geneva 5, Burlington Central 3: Junior right-hander Noah Hallahan pitched 5 innings of 1-run ball with 2 walks and 9 strikeouts during Geneva’s 5-3 Class 3A regional championship victory over host Burlington Central Saturday.

The 5th-seeded Rockets (16-19) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on Daniel Koertgen’s solo home run before the top-seeded Vikings (30-7) took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame.

Geneva added 3 runs in the fifth before Tyler Kotwica’s 2-run double pulled the Rockets within 5-3 in the top of the seventh.

The Vikings’ offensive leaders included Tate Beran (2 for 3, double, RBI, run scored), Aidan Hall (2 for 3, RBI, run scored), Alex Abraham (1 for 2, double), Ryan Kastor (1 for 2, walk, double), and Nelson Wendell (RBI).

Blake Kopec fanned 5 during his 2-inning relief stint for the Vikings, who claimed their first regional title since 2021.

Geneva advances to face 3rd-seeded Belvidere North in Wednesday’s 4 p.m. Sycamore sectional semifinals.

Montini 4, Hinsdale South 1: The 3rd-seeded Broncos (24-13) captured their 23rd Class 3A regional title — first since 2022 — following Saturday’s 4-1 victory over 6th-seeded Hinsdale South Saturday in Lombard.

Blake Heyer, who entered the contest with a 2.10 ERA, improved to 6-3 with 5 1/3 innings of 1-run, 3-hit ball, walking 3 and striking out 8 before giving way to relievers Drake Palmer (2/3 innings) and Robert Sansone (1 inning).

Montini scored single runs in each of the first 2 innings before the Hornets cut the deficit to 2-1 with a run in the fourth. The Broncos added a pair of insurance tallies in the sixth.

Kameron Cox and Drew Chrastka each hit solo home runs for the Broncos, while William Breier added an RBI.

Montini advances to Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. sectional semifinals against host Nazareth.

Wheaton Academy 7, Sycamore 3: The Warriors (29-8) earned their third Class 3A regional championship in 4 years with a 7-3 victory over 6th-seeded Sycamore Saturday at St. Francis.

TJ Sias (8-1) tied a school record for single-season victories, pitching 3 innings of 1-run ball.

The Murrell brothers — Dom and Angelo — had 5 of the Warriors’ 10 base hits.

Senior Dom Murrell went 3 for 4 with 3 RBI, igniting the Warriors with his 2-run home run in the first, while sophomore Angelo Murrell finished 2 for 3.

Braden Christensen (2 for 3, 2 runs scored), Eli Tate (1 for 3, double, RBI), and Colton Miller (1 for 3, double, run scored) provided additional offense for the 2nd-seeded Warriors.

Junior Nathanael Switzer pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief with 3 strikeouts before Miller entered the game with runners on first and second and 1 out in the seventh.

After a walk loaded the bases, Miller fell behind the second batter 3-0 before recording a strikeout, then induced a game-ending pop fly to shortstop Jackson From.

Wheaton Academy advances to Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. Sycamore sectional semifinals against Rockford Boylan.

Crystal Lake South 4, Carmel 3: Nolan Dabrowski’s 2-run single in the bottom of the seventh capped Crystal Lake South’s 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Carmel in Saturday’s Class 3A regional championship at Vernon Hills.

Dabrowski went 2 for 3 with a double and run scored for the top-seeded Gators (26-9), who captured their fifth straight regional title.

Tanner Maurer pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win, allowing just 1 hit. Starter Devin DeLoach struck out 6 and allowed 3 runs and 7 hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Other offensive stars for the Gators included Carson Trivellini (2 for 3, walk, 2 walks, 2 stolen bases), Nick Stowasser (1 for 1, walk, 2 RBI), and Michael Silvius (double).

CLSouth advances to Wednesday’s 2 p.m. Grayslake Central sectional semifinals against 11th-seeded Deerfield.

Naperville Central 1, Naperville North 0: Ryan Marker accounted for the lone run with an RBI single to help lift Naperville Central (27-9) to a 1-0 Class 4A regional championship triumph over cross-town rival Naperville North (19-14) Saturday at Central.

Max Henson (4 2/3 IP, 5 strikeouts) and Decker McDonald (2 1/3 IP, save) combined to blank the DuPage Valley champion Huskies.

Max Steele suffered the tough-luck loss, striking out 5 in 5 innings.

The 2nd-seeded Redhawks advance to Wednesday’s 7 p.m. Lockport sectional semifinals against No. 3 Hinsdale Central.

Lake Park 2, Wheaton North 1: Sophomore right-hander Colton Hardman tossed a 4-hit complete game during Lake Park’s 2-1 Class 4A regional championship triumph over 12th-seeded Wheaton North (17-20) Saturday in Roselle.

Hardman recorded 7 strikeouts while out-dueling Falcons starter Zander Zielinski (2 runs allowed, 4 strikeouts).

With the win, the 4th-seeded Lancers (17-20) advance to Wednesday’s 2 p.m. Bartlett sectional semifinals against York.

Downers Grove North 12, Yorkville 7: The 4th-seeded Trojans (23-12) staged a couple of comebacks during their 12-7 Class 4A regional championship victory over Yorkville Saturday at Oswego East.

Emilio Gandarilla went 2 for 3 with a home run and 2 RBI for the Trojans, supported by Antonio Russotiesi (1 for 2, double, 2 runs scored), Grant Fordonski (1 for 3, RBI), Sam Marshall (1 for 2, double, 2 runs scored), Oliver Gibson (1 for 2, 2 runs scored, RBI), and Owen Galas (1 for 2, RBI).

AJ Myers pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for the Trojans, who advance to Wednesday’s 4 p.m. Lockport sectional semifinals against the top-seeded Porters.

Kal Arntzen went 3 for 3 with a pair of home runs and 6 RBI for the Foxes.

Huntley 4, DeKalb 1: Junior Nate Larson tossed a 4-hit complete game with 12 strikeouts during Huntley’s 4-1 Class 4A regional championship victory over host DeKalb Saturday.

Catcher John Artinghelli, batting from the No. 9 spot, went 1 for 3 with a pair of RBI, while Brady Klepfer had 2 hits for the top-seeded Red Raiders (30-7).

IC Catholic Prep 8, Lisle 4: Jeremy Ildefonso recorded a career-best 15 strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings during IC Catholic Prep’s 8-4 Class 2A regional championship triumph over Lisle Saturday at Chicago Christian.

The Knights (15-18) took the lead for good with a 5-run first.

Rafael Garza (4 for 4, 3 runs scored) and Evan Madrigal (3 for 4, run scored) paced the Knights’ offense.

IC Catholic Prep advances to Wednesday’s 2 p.m. Herscher sectional semifinals against Ottawa Marquette.

Harvest-Westminster 7, Marengo 5: Ryan St. Louis fanned 7 and allowed 2 hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched, while Brian Powers (1 for 3, double, 2 RBI) and Carter Goetz (1 for 3, 3 RBI) helped provide the offensive punch, as Harvest-Westminster (24-7) defeated host Marengo, 7-5, in Saturday’s Class 2A regional championship.

Harvest-Westminster advances to Wednesday’s 7 p.m. Byron sectional semifinals against Riverdale.

Aurora Christian 3, Richmond-Burton 2: Senior Zach Zappia pitched a complete game, allowing just 1 earned run with no walks and 5 strikeouts, during the Eagles’ 3-2 Class 2A regional championship victory over Richmond-Burton Saturday night at Johnsburg.

Sophomore Noah Zappia (1 for 2, 2 RBI), junior Preston Morel (1 for 2, RBI), and senior Owen Niedzwiecki (1 for 2, double) led the way offensively for the Eagles, who took the lead for good with a 2-run third.

With the win, the top-seeded Eagles (26-9) advance to Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. Byron sectional semifinals against Winnebago.