Baseball: Mundelein knocks off Prospect, earns date vs. defending state champ Libertyville in sectionals

Mundelein had a singles purpose.

The Mustangs rattled off 10 hits, all of the one base variety, on their way to an 8-2 victory over Prospect Saturday in the Class 4A regional final at Mundelein.

The fourth-seeded Mustangs (22-10) will take on top-seeded and defending 4A state champion Libertyville at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Vernon Hills. Mundelein split its two previous games with its North Suburban rival this year.

Mundelein coach Randy Lerner credits his team’s preparation for their success at the plate Saturday.

“We had a couple of days to come out here and prepare,” Lerner said. “We came out earlier this morning to try to simulate the conditions that we were going to see today. We have been preaching all year to attack up there and make something happen.”

Logan Young, who led the attack with three hits, said he and his teammates took the right approach.

“We know we’re not going to be the biggest power hitting group.” said Young, a senior. “We’re not going to be splitting gaps or hitting balls over the wall. But, if we can put the ball in play, make defenses work, and get people on over, things will take care of themselves.”

The Mustangs began to get things going in the second inning thanks to back-to-back hits by Maddox Solum and Peter Nanos. After Dan Stricklin was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Frankie Lesniak’s sacrifice fly scored Solum to make it 1-0.

The next inning the Mustangs took their coach’s advice to attack. Mundelein combined six singles with two walks and a hit batter for seven runs to blow the game open.

Ryan Wolverton and Young each had two hits in the inning while Solum and Nanos each singled again. Stricklin and Trevor Carman walked while Miller Rastrelii was hit by a pitch.

That resulted in runs scored by Wolverton, Carson Koenigsknecht, who was running for Young, Rastrelli, Solum, Nanos and Carman. The Mustangs’ RBI came from Solum, Nanos, Stricklin, Carman, Johnny Weiss and a pair from Wolverton, which really opened the game up.

“With the first pitch, I was looking to attack,” Wolverton said. “We already had a bunch of runs. I knew he was going to throw me a strike, and he threw a curve ball over the plate and I just poked it out there.”

Meanwhile, Mundelein pitcher Will Bemrich was keeping Prospect at bay. The senior lefty, who improved to 6-3 on the season, fanned 12 and allowed just two hits.

“This was easily one of my better outings,” said Bemrich, who now has fanned 72 on the season.

“They were swinging straight through my change-up every time. Change-up, sinker, that’s really all I threw. I did mix in a couple of sliders. They all worked well.”

Prospect (20-15) got to Bemrich only once in the game.

John Bazula tripled home Ryan Sheehan in the fourth. Bazula then scored on a passed ball for the Knights’ only runs.

“They had a few hits fall in and then some freebies,” Prospect coach Chris Hoffman said. “Just an ugly, ugly spot in that inning. It was just too much of a struggle. But I am definitely proud of the way our seniors carried us this year.”