Baseball: Kmet helps St. Viator bring down Wauconda

St. Viator's Cole Kmet is rated as one of the top 10 high school football players in the state.

He also showed Thursday that he can play baseball pretty well, too.

Kmet threw 5-plus innings of shutout baseball, and reliever Shaun Falbo closed the door as St. Viator blanked Wauconda 4-0 in the Class 3A St. Viator sectional semifinals in Arlington Heights before a big crowd under perfect playing conditions.

The Lions (23-15), who have not won a sectional title since 1965 when they were second in the state, will meet Lakes for the sectional title at 10 a.m. Saturday. The Eagles advanced by ousting Carmel Catholic 5-2 on Thursday.

It was also personally satisfying for St. Viator coach Mike Manno and his staff. Before this year, St. Viator had won 4 regionals in the last six years. But each year the Lions had dropped the sectional opener.

"It is very satisfying," Manno said. "The way we have been playing the last couple of weeks, I thought we had a good chance."

Kmet, who is committed to play football at Notre Dame, outdueled Wauconda ace Kevin Malisheski. An Illinois State commit, Malisheski was making just his fourth start of the season after returning from ACL surgery in November.

"We grinded out some at bats against a very good pitcher," Manno said. "That's a tough team over there - that's why we scouted them seven times."

Kmet showed that he could probably be a Division I pitcher as well. While there were a handful of radar guns on Malisheski, who was throwing at 91 mph, Kmet, who is a lefty, was consistently hitting the upper 80s.

So dominant was his fastball that the first nine Wauconda outs and 12 of the first 13 were strikeouts. Kmet finished with 12 Ks and 2 walks.

"When I got my rhythm, there was no stopping me," said Kmet, who after getting out of a bases-loaded situation after allowing a hit and 2 walks in the first, allowed just 1 more hit from there.

"We all came out here dedicating the game to Danny (Sullivan). I kept him in my mind in every pitch I threw. We wanted to get the win for him so hopefully he can play on Saturday."

Sullivan, the Lions' leading hitter with 13 home runs this year, has been hospitalized since Saturday with an infection. It is unclear if Sullivan, who is hitting over .400 and was the ESCC offensive player of the year, will play on Saturday.

But it was a determined and scrappy St. Viator team that made sure their co-captain would have an option.

Malisheski, who had allowed just 1 hit through the first 4 innings, surrendered a leadoff single to center by Brett DeSelm to start the fifth. Mike O'Neill was hit by a pitch with one out.

Pinch hitter Bryce Hellgeth then hit a hard groundball to first baseman Brian McFarlin, who then quickly fired on target to second base for the force. But the relay throw was wild, allowing pinch runner Tyler Landoch to score from second.

After a walk to Mike Ragauskis, Falbo singled hard off an infielder, and and as the ball caromed into center, Hellgeth was able to score to make it 2-0.

The Lions added another run in the sixth. Chris Lolli singled and went to second on Jack Sexton's bunt. DeSelm then doubled home Lolli to put the Lions up 3-0.

Wauconda (27-5) threatened a bit in its half of the sixth when McFarlin reached on an error. Manno immediately pulled Kmet and went to Falbo.

"He was just over 100 pitches," Manno said. "But it wasn't the number of pitches. We just know Cole and it was time for him to come off the mound."

Falbo struck out the first batter he faced, but then walked the next. But he got a soft pop out to Kmet at first to end the inning.

The Lions added an insurance run in the seventh when Ragauskis doubled with one out. He advanced to third on an infield error and scored on Kmet's safety squeeze.

"It was a huge win and it was great to get over the hump," Ragauskis said. "Getting on base a couple times was huge for us."

The Lions are playing their best baseball of the season right now, having won their last 8 games and 9 of their last 10. That streak also coincides with the return of Falbo, who had been sidelined most of the season with a back injury.

"We just needed something to change," Falbo said. "It is good to get a switch up, even in practice."

Wauconda coach Bill Sliker was disappointed with the loss but took pride in what his Bulldogs accomplished this season. They were regional champs for the second year in a row and the won the North Suburban title by beating Stevenson.

"We can't take away from the things we accomplished this season," Sliker said. "A one-game playoff does not erase the good things that the boys accomplished this year."

For Manno and Kmet, they will be heading to uncharted territory on Saturday against Lakes.

"It will be great to be on the diamond, and not just being the host school," Manno said.

And Kmet may have eyes on playing football or baseball when he heads to Notre Dame.

"Why not both?" Kmet said with a smile.