Baseball: Fields' timely effort lifts Libertyville past St. Viator

Libertyville pitcher Colin Fields was standing behind the left-field wall, waiting for the end of the previous semifinal game with Buffalo Grove and Warren.

"It felt like a whole week out there," Fields said. "Just waiting to get ready to play."

And when Fields finally got on the bump, he made sure things went quickly for him and the Wildcats.

Fields was magnificent, pitching a complete game while allowing just 2 hits and 2 walks to spearhead Libertyville to a 1-0 victory over host St. Viator in Class 4A sectional semifinal action Thursday in Arlington Heights.

"Our weather has not been hot until recently," said Fields, who struck out nine. "I think last week really prepared me for today. I felt really good."

Fields said he had great command of all his pitches, throwing 67 of the 98 pitches for strikes.

"I think my slider was the best," said Fields, who will pitch at Valparaiso next year. "Along with my fastball. I think it got their players off balance and I was able to mix in my curveball."

Third-seeded Libertyville (28-9) will play top seed Buffalo Grove in the sectional championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Libertyville coach Matt Thompson said it was Fields' best outing of the season.

"Colin has been very consistent on the mound," Thompson said. "I would say this is his best outing all year. This team (Viator) is a pretty good team and he held them down the whole game."

Also holding things down was St. Viator's Jack Mahoney. The sophomore, who has already verbally committed to South Carolina, allowed just 3 hits and the only run he allowed was unearned. He threw 74 pitches, 48 of which were strikes. He also cut down a Libertyville player at the plate on a suicide squeeze attempt.

"He has had a great year for us," St. Viator coach Mike Manno said. "I don't know if there is another sophomore as good as him in this state. But he has a lot of moxie for a 16-year old."

Libertyville scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth.

Tommy Rigali led off with a walk, and Griffin Murphy followed with a single to right, putting runners in first and second.

Tim Jean then drilled a deep fly to center. Rigali tagged up and tried to advance to third, but St. Viator center fielder Conor Warner Nelson made a perfect throw to third to cut him down for the the second out.

Ben Lopez, who was inserted for Murphy as a pinch runner, smartly moved up to second. He then was able to score when Luke Plunkett's bouncing grounder eluded the Viator infield.

"I was just trying to put the ball in play up the middle," Plunkett said. "I was just trying to have some success, and luckily it worked out."

St. Viator (21-17), the 10th seed, was moving up to Class 4A after winning the Class 3A state title last year. The Lions had one solid offensive opportunity in the top of the sixth.

With one out, Cole Kmet singled and Hunter Johnson was hit by a pitch. Michael Wittich followed with a sharply hit ball to the right side of the infield. The ball was thrown to second for a force play, but the umpire ruled the St. Viator runner interfered with shortstop Tanner Kelly and called Wittich out at first.

None of which negated what Manno considered to be a terrific matchup, and another fine season.

"It was a good baseball game," Manno said. "I am extremely proud of the way our guys played all season. I am getting tired of the whole 3A-4A thing. I think we are a team that can play with anybody in the state and we showed that today."