Griffins' late-inning lightning strikes again

Lincoln-Way East's Austin Wallace makes a pickoff attempt against Oak Park.

(Scott Powers/For the Sun-Times News Group)

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Paul Babcock missed quite a rally by his Lincoln-Way East Griffins Wednesday.

But then again, it's nothing the coach hasn't seen before.

The Griffins dropped a six-spot on Oak Park in the top of the seventh and knocked off the Huskies 7-1 in pool play of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association summer state tourney at Benedictine University.

With Babcock in Italy on a long-planned vacation, the Griffins moved to 2-0 in pool play and 14-2 on the summer behind some more late-inning fireworks. Last Thursday, East rode a nine-run seventh to a 12-7 regional final win over Minooka.

"We usually seem to pull together in the seventh," said Alex Stewart, who played a starring role in the decisive rally.

With runners at first and third and two out, Stewart came off the bench to pinch-hit. He drove the first pitch from Oak Park's Luke McLeese to right-center for an RBI single that scored pinch-runner Tim Scott for a 2-1 East lead.

After Eric Siedak was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Ryan  Herman drove in all three runners with a double. University of Illinois recruit Brandon Hohl followed with an RBI triple and just like that, East had broken open another game.

The Griffins have scored 69 runs in seven postseason games, including 17 in two pool-play wins at state. It sure makes life easier for the guy on the mound, as Austin Wallace noted.

"It takes a lot of pressure off the shoilders," said Wallace, who pitched a four-hitter for the win. "If you don't have to have your best stuff, you can still go out there and usually win."

That wasn't an issue for Wallace on Wednesday.

"I had everything working pretty decent,:" the rising senior saiud. "Curveball, slider and fastball, changeup, splitter whatever."

He needed everything in his repertoire most of the day, as he and McLeese were putting up zero after zero on the scoreboard.

That was just fine with Wallace.

I just love a good old pitchers' duel," he said. "I like it when it's close."

For six innings on Wednesday, he got his wish. And then East's hitters took over, which was fine with him as well.

Up next for East is Waubonsie Valley Thursday at 10 a.m. at North Central College. 

Ryan Mullin had the lone RBI for Oak Park, which is 20-8 overall and 0-2 in pool play. The Huskies face Naperville Central at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at North Central.

mclark@chicagosuntimes.com