Godinez, IC knock out Lisle

Jose Godinez thrives in big-game situations.

They come no bigger than what he faced Wednesday.

Down to the team's final strike in the top of the seventh inning, the Immaculate Conception junior blooped a bases-clearing double to rally the Knights to a 5-3 victory over host Lisle in the Class 2A Lisle baseball sectional semifinals at Benedictine University.

"Phenomenal," is how Knights coach Dan Holleman described the performance by Godinez. "It seems like every time a big situation comes up, he's the one who answers the call."

Godinez, however, wasn't finished.

After the ultra-clutch hit, he continued an unhittable effort on the mound. He struck out seven of the eight batters he faced in relief of Matt McMahon, striking out the side in the bottom of the seventh to seal the win and send the Knights (28-10) into Saturday's sectional title game.

"We never let down in the seventh inning, and we just came through," said Godinez, who boasts a pair of no-hitters this season and now has 46 RBI. "I like being in situations to help my team win."

Lisle (24-10) had taken a 3-2 lead in the third inning on Ryan Van Volkenburg's RBI single, and Lions ace Jon Surber kept the score right there while striking out nine in 6 innings of work.

Immaculate Conception loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh off Lisle reliever Nick Thome, but Thome retired the next two batters to bring Godinez to the plate. On a 1-and-2 count, Godinez blooped the 3-run double down the right-field line. All 3 runs were unearned after a previous error on a sacrifice bunt.

"He hits the ball to every field," Lions coach Pete Meyer said of Godinez. "He's a great hitter, he's a great baseball player. He has been since he was a freshman."

The Knights took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring fielder's choice by Carlos Rodriguez, but Surber launched a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first to put the Lions ahead 2-1. McMahon's sacrifice fly tied the game at 2-2 in the third.

McMahon, Godinez and Rodriguez were all part of the team two years ago that claimed the program's only sectional championship. On Saturday they'll return to Benedictine intent on returning to the supersectional.

"They have experience on this field, they have experience in big games," Holleman said. "They're kind of the calming influence."