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Sandburg rally stuns Marist
Updated: May 27, 2011 10:45PM
The next loss in Sandburg coach Doug Sutor’s career will be his last one.
That is, unless Sandburg runs the table and wins the Class 4A state championship.
Trailing 2-0 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning Friday against Marist, it appeared the time had come for Sutor to walk off into the sunset.
Marist pitcher Mike Hearne was mowing down the Eagles, allowing just three hits through 52/3 innings.
However, it turned out Sutor’s career wasn’t dead; it was only on life support.
Sandburg registered three straight hits after two outs in the sixth. Zach Reks (2-for-3), Brant Valach and Dan Rizzie (3-for-3) all ripped base hits to load the bases.
It all looked for naught, however, when Dylan Rajkovich lofted what appeared to be a routine fly ball to right field.
Marist right fielder Jim Carroll had some trouble tracking the high fly, which the steady breeze kept pushing toward the right-field line.
Carroll did manage to get under the ball, which dropped to the ground for an error and allowed all three runners to circle the bases.
Just like that, the Eagles turned a two-run deficit into a 3-2 lead.
Which pitcher Nick Bates, who had matched Hearne pitch for pitch, preserved for a 3-2 win at the Class 4A Andrew Regional.
Sandburg (23-8) is slated to play T.F. South at 11 a.m. Saturday in the regional final.
“My heart started pounding when I saw the ball hit the ground,” Sutor said. “At first when Dylan hit the ball up in the air, I was like, ‘Doggone it.’ But the wind started to take the ball and I thought it maybe could be a tough play.”
A half-inning earlier, Carroll came through with a clutch two-out single to center that gave Marist a 1-0 lead. Earlier in the same at-bat, Carroll hit a popup near the backstop that Eagles catcher Dan Rizzie misplayed.
That gave Carroll new life, and the junior responded with the big hit and the game’s first run.
Hearne (2-for-3) helped his own cause with a single that made it 2-0.
“I just told my team I was happy with the way we battled,” said Marist coach Tom Fabrizio, whose RedHawks finished 15-21. “We didn’t swing the bats well today — we really haven’t all year. But it was good to see them battle for two runs.”
Hearne, a junior lefty, allowed six hits, one walk and struck out seven over six innings. Bates, a senior righty, scattered five hits, walked two and struck out six.
“Both kids pitched great,” Sutor said. “I guess the baseball gods weren’t ready for me to end my career yet.”
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