JCA's Minarich celebrates with win

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Nate Minarich celebrated his 18th birthday by driving in four runs as No. 1 Joliet Catholic rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat host Nazareth 11-4 on Monday in La Grange Park.

After a two-run single by Brian Budzinski (3-for-4, three RBI, two runs) gave the Hilltoppers (24-5, 14-3 East Suburban Catholic) a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning, Minarich turned on an inside fastball and sent it just inside the left-field foul pole for a two-run homer, his second of the year.

"I was just trying to put the ball in play and try to get some insurance runs for the team," said Minarich, who added a run-scoring single to cap a three-run seventh. "Their pitcher did a real good job coming out and I think it took us a little bit to settle down, but once you get one person going, everyone is going to follow. That’s how it’s been going lately."

Nazareth (17-11, 7-10) led 3-0 after an RBI double by Matt Fulton in the first and a two-run double by Steve Dal Porto in the second. But the Roadrunners managed just two hits after that (one was a solo homer by Phil Kaiser).

Minarich, Mike Nelson (3-for-4), winning pitcher John Ruettiger and Nick Ratajczak all scored twice for Joliet Catholic, which can clinch the league title by beating Nazareth on Wednesday.