SCN loses Bergren, and semifinal to Prairie Ridge
St. Charles North suffered a tough loss Wednesday - and that doesn't even include the 7-1 final score against Prairie Ridge.
Centerfielder Jake Bergren - also the North Stars' quarterback for the upcoming football season - got hit by a pitch in the first inning and broke his left (throwing) hand.
Bergren, who quarterbacked the North Stars to two football playoff wins last year, will find out Thursday a more definitive timetable for his return. His coach Todd Genke estimated "four to six weeks, minimum" which would put Bergren in danger of missing the Aug. 27 opener against South Elgin.
"It happens," Bergren said. "I'm worried, sort of, but I know the (football) season is going to be until November so I'll be able to see some if not most of it."
Prairie Ridge (23-21) took a 1-0 lead on Nick Samuels' RBI single in the top of the first. Bergren was the second batter up against Wolves starter Andrew Kovarik when he got hit.
"I heard a pop right away," said Bergren, who broke 2 bones in his hand and will see a specialist Thursday who will set it.
"That's a big blow," Genke said. "Our kids kind of take a step back, wow, Jake is gone. It's just unfortunate, last game of the summer. He's trying to do so much, football and baseball. He'll be back in a month, I hope.
"I feel bad for him because he is a really good player and he is a tough kid. When you get hit in the hand, 85 mile per hour fastball, bad things happen."
Prairie Ridge added 2 runs in the second inning on leadoff hitter Jordan Getzelman's 2-run home run off North Star starter Phil Warner (5-1). Getzelman doubled in a run to make it 5-0 in the fourth.
"He's got a chance to be special," Wolves coach Glen Pecoraro said. "The ball jumps off his bat."
After getting just 1 hit through 3 innings, the North Stars started hitting better as the game went on. Jake Johansmeier, John Munyon and John Brodner all had singles in the sixth but the North Stars only got one run after a baserunning mistake.
St. Charles North also had a runner caught stealing to end the fifth. "There were too many mistakes, and we were playing pretty well coming in," Genke said.
Brodner provided many of the bright spots for the North Stars with his play at shortstop, making both the routine plays and a couple gems to take hits away from the Wolves.
"I thought he was the best player on the field today," Genke said. "We had a kid named (Ryan) Richardson (now at Nebraska) around here but I don't know if Ryan makes some of those plays today. Obviously that is a great sign for us."
Bergren also found positives with the North Stars' 18-5 summer despite his tough day.
"A lot of the juniors were able to see a change of pace and what they will see in the spring," Bergren said. "Things are looking good for the team."
Second baseman Bobby Myers added 2 hits for the Wolves. Kovarik fanned 6 in 6 innings, then Alex Frey pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to set up a regional championship against St. Charles East coach Dave Haskins, who guided Prairie Ridge to the 2008 state title.
Pecoraro, whose team has won 12 straight, coached the Prairie Ridge freshmen in 2008.
"He treated me so terrific," Pecoraro said. "I have nothing but respect for Dave. It will be a nice challenge especially if we see their top dog (pitcher Wes Benjamin)."