By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
With their East Suburban Catholic Conference South Division championship dreams on the line, Joliet Catholic Academy senior centerfielder Greg Ziegler stood in the batter’s box.
Trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh in a must-win ESCC South game at Marist, the Hilltoppers’ proverbial backs were up against the wall on Thursday.
“In a pressure situation like that, it is best to not to think but just try to hit the ball,” Ziegler said.
Ziegler hit the ball lining a fastball into right field, scoring pinch-runner Owen Rosel with the tying run. Rosel, was pinch running for Hilltopper DH Tony Fleischauer who had
walked.
“The at bat of the game for us, was Tony Fleischauer’s, great base on balls, to get the seventh started for us,” Joliet Catholic Academy head coach Jared Voss said.
The game went to extra innings and Ziegler struck out again in the top of the ninth.
With Mike Gurka at second, who walked and Nate Gerhrke, who reached on a fielder’s choice on first, Ziegler ripped a first-pitch single to center, scoring Gurka with the lead run for a 3-2 lead. The Hilltoppers picked up an insurance run on a bunt single by Chris Knapczyk and an errant Redhawk throw scoring Gerhke for a 4-2 lead.
Hilltoppper ace lefty Alex Vera ( WP, 3IP, 0R, 2H, 0ER, 2K, 1 BB), knocked down the Redhawks in the bottom of the ninth. The last out of the game was hauled in by Ziegler in centerfield on an outstanding running catch. Vera (6-2) and the Hilltoppers had another 4-2 ESCC victory.
“I hit a fastball well in the seventh inning to get the tying run home,” Ziegler added. “I was looking first pitch, curve ball in the ninth and drilled it to center, to get the lead run home. I was just doing my job and this was a great win for us.”
“We can’t overlook Benet. They showed us the other day, they can swing the bats.”
“We all battled the whole game and Greg came through with huge hits, to win the game for us.”, Vera said. “Once again I was told by our coaches, that there would be a strong possibility, that I would be used in relief.”
“It would have been a long summer for me, if Marist would have beat me, tonight. I play summer travel ball with a number of the Marist players. I’m sure glad we won!
The contest started very poorly for the victorious Hilltoppers. Hilltoppers starting pitcher Mike Gurka (4IP, 2R,2H,2ER, 3K, 6BB) walked four Redhawk batters and Marist jumped out on top 2-0. The Redhawks scored their runs on an errant pickoff attempt and a wild pitch.
Hilltopper junior third baseman Dan Wuestenfeld stole the first Hilltopper run of the game. Wuestenfeld walked, stole second and went to third on senior Nick Iannantone’s single.
With two outs,Voss went to his legendary bag of tricks.
Iannantone ran the “old walk-off play” to perfection. With Gehrke at the plate, Iannantone intentionally walked off first base. Marist starting pitcher Jack Brannigan (6.1 IP, 2R, 2H, 1ER,6K, 5B) fired to first base, believing he had the fox Inannantone picked off for the final out of the inning.
Wuestenfeld broke for the plate and beat the return throw from Marist first baseman Ryan Doubek for the first Hilltopper run and a steal of home.
Ragusa (2IP, 0R, 2H. 0ER, 2K, 0BB) entered in the fifth inning and fired two scoreless innings in relief of Gurka. In the bottom of the sixth, Ragusa loaded the bases full of Redhawks with one out, only to fan the last two Redhawk hitters and set up Greg Ziegler’s heroics in the seventh.
“I had to keep us in the game and it felt great to strike out the last two batters in the sixth,” Ragusa said. “Great win for us today.”
Vera entered in the bottom of the seventh and pitched out of a jam to send the game to extra innings.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Redhawk right fielder Jason Hodges (2-for-4, 2B) crushed a Vera fastball over the head of Ziegler at the 380 foot sign in center.
Ziegler fired a laser to Hilltopper shortstop Jared Cushing, who fired another laser to Wuestenfeld at third, who put the tag on the befuddled Hodges for the second out of the inning.
The Hilltopper defense threw out five Redhawk baserunners in the game. Gurka picked off a pair of Redhawk runners. Gerhke threw out one base stealer and with Cushing and first baseman Max Cullen picked off another.
“What a great game played between two great teams,” Voss said “Kevin (Sefcik) is a class act and runs an outstanding program, here at Marist.”
“We battled all game and this was a big win for us. Greg, has been hitting down in the lower part of the order for us and really came through for us, in the leadoff spot tonight. Looking forward to our game with Benet, Monday.”
With the win the Hilltoppers (22-6, 9-3) pull into a tie with Marist (17-8, 9-3) atop the ESCC South. On Monday, the Hilltoppers will host Benet (9-19, 2-10) at 4:30 at Gillespie Field. On Saturday in Chicago Heights at 10 a.m., Marist will take on Marian Catholic (16-10, 7-3). Marian Catholic will take on ESCC North leader Notre Dame (12-7, 9-2) also on Saturday.
EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLIC SOUTH
Joliet Catholic 22-6 9-3
Marist 17-8 9-3
Marian Catholic 16-10 7-3
Nazareth 22-5 7-5
Benet 9-19 2-10