Leyden 1, Maine South 0
The slider was biting hard. The 90-plus mph fastball was popping.
But when Leyden needed a clutch hit and aggressive base running against Maine South ace Nick DePaul on Thursday, Jonathan Weaver proved once again he's much more than the senior with the golden right arm.
After Weaver posted 3 RBI in each of the Eagles' two regional victories, his two-out, sixth-inning single and first-to-third scamper after a botched pickoff throw set up Cameron Stephens' game-winning single as the No. 2 seed Eagles defeated No. 11 Maine South 1-0 in a Class 4A Niles West sectional semifinal in Skokie.
Leyden (26-7) returns to Jim Phipps Field at 10 a.m. Saturday to play for its first sectional championship against No. 4 seed Loyola, a 7-3 winner over Glenbrook South on Wednesday.
"Both pitchers pitched great," said Maine South coach Bill Milano. "Like (Leyden coach) Gary Wolf said after the game, 'We knew what you were going to do and you knew what we were going to do, it's just a matter of who is going to get that big hit.'"
Through 5 innings, it didn't appear that either team was going to get that big hit, as both right-handers handcuffed their opponent's lineup. After surrendering a leadoff single to Tim Mackey and walk to Jack Townley in the first, DePaul (2 walks, 6 strikeouts) allowed only 1 hit and 2 base runners in the next 4 innings.
"(DePaul) pitched a tremendous game," Wolf said. "He kept us off balance and did a great job. Unfortunately for him, he went against someone that can match him pitch for pitch."
Weaver (7-2), who tossed a complete-game in last Saturday's 6-1 regional championship victory over Notre Dame, struck out 7 and allowed just 3 singles on Thursday in his 97-pitch, complete-game effort. Maine South (12-16) nearly broke the scoreless tie in the fourth with two runners in scoring position, but right fielder Josh Serrano made a diving catch off a shot from Nick Virgilio to end the inning.
Facing DePaul in the sixth, Weaver served an 0-2 pitch into right field to keep the inning alive for Stephens. But before Leyden's cleanup hitter put the ball in play, Weaver drew a throw from DePaul.
"I guess he thought I was stealing … I was actually going on the next play," Weaver said with a laugh.
DePaul's pickoff throw darted past first baseman Tommy Muck and toward the Hawks' bullpen as Weaver slid into third -- the first Leyden base runner to reach that far.
Stephens worked the count full and looped an RBI single into short right field to put the Eagles into their second straight sectional final.
"That felt good to get a hit after (getting picked off in the fourth inning) -- I know I made a mistake," he said. "But it was a good way to pick up that winning hit."