Chimera comes through as Rice rallies for win

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Digging itself a three-run hole before it swung a bat?

Looking ragged in the field and on the bases?

Having outfielder Ryan March hobble off the field with a left leg injury?

None of that was part of the script for Brother Rice on Tuesday. But somehow the Crusaders found their way clear to a 5-4 victory over visiting Oak Lawn in South Suburban Summer League North Division action.

"I liked this game a lot today," said senior Vinny Chimera, who got the win in relief. "We're not always going to have games where we take a 5-0 lead. We're going to have to scratch and claw. That's how you win championships.

"That's what we did today."

The Crusaders (11-1) had their share of big hits, including a two-run double in the first by Kevin Koehler (2-for-3, two RBI), Bob Schuch's RBI double in the same inning and Kevin Callahan's two-run triple in the third (which proved to be the game-winner).

But the difference in the game was Rice's bullpen, which worked the final 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run. That was unearned thanks to one of Rice's five errors.

Chimera came on with two out in the second, worked out of a first-and-third jam and eventually  turned it over to Shane Mrozek for a scoreless sixth. Patrick Gannon finished for the save.

The idea was for Chimera to work in relief this week between weekend starts. But like most everything else for Rice on Tuesday, the pitching plan went out the window early.

Oak Lawn's first four batters of the game reached base safely, with Chris Cascarano (2-for-3, run, RBI) and Jason Vasquez (2-for-4, RBI) both delivering run-scoring hits in a three-run first inning. 

But the Spartans were held to three hits over the final six innings as Chimera and his bullpen mates took charge. 

"Vinny is our No. 4 starter," coach Tim Lyons said. "But he only threw short on Friday, so we knew we had to get some early innings out of him this week. Just a day sooner than I planned."

All in a day's work, Chimera figured.

"My arm wasn't 100 percent," he said. "I was able to ... work through it."

Credit that to his breaking ball.

"My last start [Friday vs. Lockport] my curveball was pretty weak," he said. "I wasn't throwing it for a strike a lot. Today it was pretty sharp. ... That along with my two-seamer was the difference today."

That Chimera is No. 4 in the Crusaders' rotation says as much about the team's pitching depth as his ability.

"I feel like the pitching is a lot stronger than last year," Chimera said. "I feel we have the best 1-2 punch in the Catholic League with Gannon and [Kevin] Koziol."

All those arms come in handy when the Crusaders aren't clicking in other areas.

"This was one of those days we were in summer mode on the beach rather than being on the ball field," Lyons said. "One of the things we like to say to the guys [is] there's a heck of a lot worse things in the world you could be doing than playing baseball in the heat.

"This is a great thing to do and I hope they respect that."