Calm Willowbrook gets comeback victory
When St. Charles North had 2 runs in and the bases loaded in the top of the first inning Thursday, Willowbrook's reaction was simple.
No big deal.
"We've been a team to come back all year long," senior shortstop Will Martin said. "We just tried to relax, tried not to worry too much and play our game."
"These guys have a great approach to everything," Willowbrook coach Steve Gilliam added. "They don't get too high, they don't get too low. They've got a great approach to everything."
Even as North Stars junior pitcher Ryan Hudspeth threw 3 perfect innings, the Warriors didn't worry. Their patience paid off in a 5-2 Class 4A Willowbrook regional semifinal victory, even though they connected for just 5 hits.
Willowbrook starter Nick Cuzzone got out of that bases-loaded jam without further damage, just as reliever Steve Cox (4-2) did got out of another bases-loaded jam in the fourth inning to earn the win. Brian Monette pitched the last 2 innings for the save.
"They've been doing it all year long," Martin said of the pitchers. "They just came up huge today and shut the door today."
"We got 2 in that first inning and I just felt like we should have gotten more," North Stars coach Todd Genke said. "But I was happy with the 2 we got. You know what? Sometimes you've got to tip your hat to the pitcher. He made good enough pitches to get us out.
"But gosh, I tell you, we've got a couple of hitters up there who are hitting over .450 on the season. You think they're going to come through and get a hit there. But they're high school kids, and nobody's up there trying to make an out."
The Warriors took the lead in the fourth inning, Brett Buchanan's single to right field driving in 2 runs, with Monette scoring next on Cox's squeeze bunt. The Warriors (25-9) added 2 more runs in the fifth on a RBI double by Martin and a RBI single by Chris Savas.
"Those were big at-bats right there," said Gilliam, whose team has won 11 straight.
Mike Budka had a RBI and a run scored for the North Stars (22-12).