Another big inning carries Waubonsie

It had been eight years since Waubonsie Valley baseball coach Dan Fezzuoglio last enjoyed the celebratory Gatorade-cooler shower.

Until Thursday, when a second 6-run inning in two days lifted the top-seeded Warriors to a 9-3 victory over No. 3 St. Charles North to earn the St. Charles East regional title.

Waubonsie Valley (28-14) also featured pitcher Sean Smith's complete-game outing and defensive gems by Harry Vickers, Sam Carius and Dan Hodorowski that erased two North Stars runners at third and another at the plate.

"When you get deeper you play better teams, and you've got to make plays," Fezzuoglio said. "It comes down to who makes plays and who doesn't."

And who scores runs. The Warriors tallied 19 their last two games entering Elite Eight pool play, 10 a.m. Monday at North Central College against Glenbard North, a 9-3 winner over Prospect.

"They won all the hustle plays, so kudos to them," said St. Charles North coach Todd Genke, whose club finished 16-8. "We didn't get a clutch hit when we needed one, either. I just feel like we got singled to death. They only had 2 extra-base hits and scored 9 runs."

Those 2 doubles - Ryan Vega's to start the bottom of the fourth, and Sam Carius' 3-run shot just inside the right-field line - helped turn a 2-2 deadlock into an 8-2 Waubonsie lead. From there it was up to Smith, whose biting curveball kept the North Stars in check.

"He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes, he threw his off-speed and his curveball for strikes. He definitely knew how to pitch," said St. Charles North's Nebraska-bound shortstop Ryan Richardson, who joined teammates Kevin Borst and John Brodner each with 2 hits, Borst rapping a double.

Smith, also 3-for-4 at the plate, allowed 2 earned runs while scattering 8 hits and striking out seven in a 123-pitch effort. It was the right-hander's second win in two days following a two-batter stint in Wednesday's 10-9 win over Oswego East.

"I was a little worried about my arm," he said. "You never know how it's going to feel after throwing the day before. After that big inning I just went out there and was relaxed. I knew my defense was behind me, and I knew we'd get it done."