What began harmlessly for Sandburg on Wednesday proved fatal for T.F. South.
After the Eagles' first two batters of the fifth inning recorded outs, the next 10 hitters would reach safely for No. 1 Sandburg, which exploded for nine runs and an 11-1 win in a Class 4A St. Rita Sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
Sandburg will play the winner of today's Stagg-Brother Rice semifinal in Saturday's 11 a.m. title game.
"How many times have you seen it where things just fall apart and blow open for you," said Sandburg coach Doug Sutor, whose Eagles improved to 29-5. "I'll tell you, we weren't thinking about this type of ending when it was 2-1."
The Rebels had pushed a run across the plate to make it 2-1 and left the bases loaded in the top of the fifth when relieved Sandburg players strolled into the dugout.
Sutor had a message for his team.
"I told the kids to answer the bell," Sutor said.
The Eagles did just that.
A two-out walk by Lucas Fritsch, his third of the game, was followed by a double down the right-field line by Alex Zarate to provide Sandburg with some cushion at 3-1.
Rebels starting pitcher Eric Meyerchick then walked Greg Billo, which put an end to the T.F. South right-hander's day.
Ryan Rizzi relieved and was greeted by Ian O'Connor's double to left-center that scored two runs to make it 5-1.
Nick Kujawa added a double that scored two more runs, and Ryan Cowhey, Jim Pipolo (double) and Will Keuper (double) provided run-scoring hits during the inning. The game ended on a T.F. South error.
"They showed some character," Sutor said. "But they've done it all year. These kids know how to respond."
Keuper earned the win on the mound to improve to 8-2. The Harvard-bound left-hander allowed four hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out five during an economical 67-pitch performance.
"It was awesome," said Keuper, who was 2-for-3 at the plate, of the Eagles' big inning. "T.F. South had the momentum and they're a great team. But we responded and showed what we're made of."
Sandburg ran itself out of a potential huge first inning when it had runners thrown out at third and home plate. The Eagles managed to squeak one run in when Keuper singled up the middle to score Cowhey for a 1-0 advantage.
"I just try to do what I can for the team," Keuper said when asked if he prefers to contribute at the plate or on the mound. "Both are fun."
Sandburg extended its lead to 2-0 in the fourth when the left-handed-hitting Ryan Bachman doubled down the left-field line to score Billo, who had singled.
The Eagles recorded eight hits and took advantage of four T.F. South errors.
Pipolo, headed to St. Xavier in the fall, was 2-for-3 for Sandburg.
Do the Eagles have a preference as to whom they play Saturday?
"No," Keuper said. "Ending the game the way we did should give us confidence and some momentum on Saturday. We just have to be ready."
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