Another year, another league title for Bengals

Zach Szykowny (17) of Shepard tries to get to second base before Bobby Sheppard (10) of Oak Forest makes the forceout.
(Art Vassy/SouthtownStar)

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Oak Forest coach Ron Czarnecki didn’t have to remind his team that a conference championship was at stake heading into the week.

“They know what it means to win the conference,” Czarnecki said. “It’s always been one of our goals.”

It’s a goal the Bengals generally achieve.

Oak Forest used home runs from Tim Barry and Parker Carroll, and four shutout innings of relief pitching from Josh Hine to drop visiting Shepard 12-5 in South Suburban Blue action Thursday. The win assured the Bengals (13-3) of at least a share of the title with Lemont.

“It’s been a bumpy road to get to this point,” said Czarnecki, who has guided the Bengals to six straight conference crowns. “We told the kids they weren’t representing the program like teams in the past. We tried everything and, finally, something clicked. It’s always nice to meet one of your goals.”

Kevin McDonald’s solo home run in the first, off Bengals starter Matt Runge, gave the Astros a 1-0 lead. McDonald was the lone Astro to record a multihit game, finishing 2-for-3.

The Bengals (17-9) countered with four runs in their half of the first, highlighted by Carroll’s solo dinger to left field, a run-scoring single by Jon Wolf (2-for-4) and an RBI double by Brett Powers.

The Astros (16-13, 11-5), however, scored three runs in the second to tie the game at 4, the big hits being back-to-back doubles by Jeff Adduci and Eddie Jones.

“I thought if we could have come out of the second inning unscathed, the game was over,” Czarnecki said. “But to their credit, they came back.”

Oak Forest took the lead for good in the third, thanks to Shepard starter Ryan Kman’s inability to throw strikes. The senior right-hander walked two hitters with the bases loaded to force in runs, and Joe Czarnecki added an RBI single to make it 7-4.

The Bengals put the game away in the fifth. Barry drilled a three-run homer, his ninth of the season, and Jack Murphy contributed a frozen-rope double to drive in another run during a four-run frame.

While the Bengals’ bats exploded, Hine silenced the Astros’ bats from the fourth inning on. The left-hander did battle control problems, walking five, but didn’t allow a hit.

“That’s why I didn’t start him,” Czarnecki said. “He’s been sick with the flu and he hasn’t pitched much. Once he was able to get three pitches over for a strike, he was tough.”

It was a tough week for Shepard, which found itself in a three-way tie for the conference lead with Oak Forest and Lemont. But the Astros were swept by the Bengals, leaving them in second place.

“I’m very disappointed,” Shepard coach Frank DiFoggio said. “We’re hitting a funk at the wrong time. Oak Forest outplayed us, outclassed us, and showed us who’s the better team. We got a little tight this week. But we have to try and fix this for the playoffs.”