Hilltoppers, Providence move into WJOL final

Updated: April 5, 2011 2:16PM

One day removed from Kyle Cunningham's walkoff home run providing

a dramatic victory in the WJOL Area Baseball Invite, Joliet Catholic

survived a cliffhanger of a different kind Saturday to move into the

championship game of the annual extravaganza.

Junior left-hander Kevin Duchene, with help from junior right-hander Nate

Searing, pitched with a precarious lead all the way in a 4-3 victory over

Lockport.

The Hilltoppers scored twice in the first inning, the Porters got back

within 2-1 in the bottom of the second and both teams scored single runs in

the fifth and again in the sixth.

"It was a little like last night, we had to grind it out," said Searing, who

ended the game with his second strikeout and the potential tying run on

third base. "But Kevin (Duchene) threw great."

"I felt good," said Duchene, who struck out eight. "We got some runs early,

which makes the pitching easier, and I hit my spots pretty well. Of course,

the umpire had a generous strike zone, for both sides. I didn't mind that."

JCA's first two runs off Lockport left-hander Mike Hamilton came compliments

of an infield single, three walks and a balk in the first inning, and

despite several outstanding defensive plays to save runs with two outs later

on, the Porters never could catch up.

"Unfortunately, we gave up the two freebies in the first inning," Lockport

coach Andy Satunas said. "You can't do that against a quality team. And

Duchene really threw great for them."

The defensive gems were turned in by Lockport outfielders Ted Snidanko and

Austin Mastela, along with shortstop Tommy Hook.

"They did make some great plays," JCA coach Jared Voss said. "But we got 10

hits and I think seven walks. I hope when the weather warms we will score

more than four runs in that situation."

Sophomore catcher Alex Voitik had three hits for the Hilltoppers. Mike

Melone, Adam Collins and Cody Columbus added two each.

Lockport had at least one hit in every inning and finished with eight.

Snidanko doubled twice and Matt Skrzypiec and John Kosmowski had two

singles.

Providence advances

In the championship semifinal at Minooka, Providence left-hander Matt

Trowbridge rendered Lemont's bats worthless in a 7-2 Celtics victory.

The Indians got their first hit off Trowbridge in the fourth inning. He went

five and struck out 13, including all 12 outs through four innings.

"Trowbridge is just a really good pitcher," Lemont coach Joe Rodeghero said.

"But our problem was we could not put the ball into play. Trowbridge got his

fastball over right away, and then he started getting his breaking ball

over. That made it tough."

"Trowbridge was making his first start, though he is a three-year starter,"

Providence coach Mark Smith said. "He threw well. I was a little

disappointed with the walks, but that will get better."

The Celtics' offense, meanwhile, tacked on runs on a consistent basis,

usually scoring with two outs, which Rodghero noted hurt the Indians badly.

"Our ability to score runs with two outs was key," Smith said. "We stole

five bases and took extra bases, too, which put us in position to score

those runs."

A PFS walkoff

One day after losing to JCA on a walkoff homer, Plainfield South cleanup

hitter Victor Garcia unloaded a two-run, walkoff blast in the bottom of the

eighth inning to give the Cougars a 3-2 over Joliet Central in the

consolation semifinal at Lockport.

Central right-hander Josh Wojnarowski was the tough-luck loser, pitching the

distance. He had been staked to a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth on John

Johnson's RBI single.

"Actually, I did have a walkoff before," Garcia said with a smile. "I had

one in a tournament when I was 13."

"A little deja vu, I suppose," South coach Phil Bodine said. "Harpo (Cougars

starter Ryan Harpole) pitched real well, and Eddie (Nelson, the loser Friday

and winner on this occasion), got some redemption."

Minooka wins

Minooka scored in the fourth inning on Sean Macko's RBI single and in the

sixth when Tyler Thorsen took a swing at a ball and got an infield single on

a play where the suicide squees was called. That was enough to beat

Plainfield Central 2-1 in the consolation semifinal at Minooka.

Sophomore left-hander Trevor Machek went six innings for the victory.

"We played well defensively and that was the key," Minooka coach Jeff

Petrovic said. "We're not hitting like we should, but somebody starts

hitting, everybody will."

Contributing: Larry Lindholm

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