Ljunggren’s winner sends Wolves to state

Prairie Ridge celebrates after defeating Carmel.
(Michael Schmidt/News-Sun)

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Prairie Ridge sophomore Chad Ljunggren had hit the ball hard three times but had nothing to show for it.

He made sure he made his fourth at-bat count.

Ljunggren laced the game-winning single in the bottom of the eighth inning to send Prairie Ridge to a thrilling 5-4 victory over No. 3 Carmel in the Class 4A Schaumburg Supersectional on Monday at Alexian Field.

‘‘I got a good pitch to hit, and finally I got one not right at someone,’’ Ljunggren said.

Senior Nick Martini led off the eighth with a blistering triple to center. Carmel coach Chuck Gandolfi instructed pitcher Bobby Lyne to intentionally walk the next two batters to load the bases with no outs. The decision worked for the first batter.

Then Ljunggren delivered the shot that was nearly caught by a diving Carmel outfielder, sending Prairie Ridge (30-8) to its first state appearance.

‘‘[Ljunggren] has come up big every time since he’s come up, and he did it again,’’ Prairie Ridge coach Dave Haskins said. ‘‘This was just a phenomenal game.’’

Martini earned the win in relief of ace TJ Swank. He pitched out of a first-and-second, one-out jam in the seventh, then worked a scoreless eighth.

Carmel (32-6) had several opportunities to break open the 4-4 tie but couldn’t capitalize.

‘‘We had our chances all game,’’ Gandolfi said. ‘‘They had their chance and got it.’’

It looked as if Carmel was going to jump on Swank, who entered the game with a 10-1 record, when it loaded the bases to lead off the second. The Corsairs pushed two runs across on Joe Burg’s ground out and John Zeffery’s sacrifice fly to make it 2-1, then upped the lead to 3-1 in the third on Donald Stopka’s sac fly.

But in the bottom of the third, the Wolves’ offense came alive against Carmel starter Jeff Moree, scoring three runs on three hits and a walk. Junior Nolan Jacoby dealt the big blow with a two-run triple.