Masterful Funkhouser mows down Morris

Updated: May 28, 2011 4:45PM

It was just another outing for Oak Forest right-hander Kyle Funkhouser. In other words, the junior was dominant, once again.

This time, Funkhouser victimized Morris in a masterful three-hit 2-1 victory Saturday to win the Class 3A Bremen Regional championship. Funkhouser struck out 14, walked none and hit one batter to improve to 10-0 this season.

The 6-3, 190-pound Louisville recruit pounded the strike zone with a steady 88-89 mph fastball throughout the game, reaching as high as 91 when he needed it. In the later innings, he began dropping in an effective curveball, and at that point Morris (20-15) didn’t have much of a chance.

Funkhouser retired the first 11 batters in order — seven on strikeouts — before Kjeld Torkelson reached on a bloop triple. Funkhouser didn’t allow another hit until the seventh, when Greg Struck singled and scored on Ryan Bernickus’ double on a changeup — the only one he threw all game — to make it 2-1 with one out. With fatigue setting in, Funkhouser bore down to get the next batter to ground out before he struck the final batter out with an 89-mph fastball.

“At the end there, it kind of scared me,” said Funkhouser. “I didn’t want to lose; I couldn’t lose. … I haven’t let up more than two runs all season.”

For the season, Funkhouser has recorded an astounding 120 strikeouts to 20 walks in 68 innings.

“He’s been getting stronger and stronger all season,” said Oak Forest coach Thaddeus Gatton. “He just pounds the strike zone all game. He’s been the man.”

Oak Forest (23-7) had plenty of scoring opportunities throughout, but stranded 12 runners, including leaving the bases loaded twice. The Bengals broke a scoreless tie in the third when junior catcher John Zubek led off with a single and eventually scored on a throwing error.

Oak Forest made it 2-0 in the fourth when freshman right fielder Brian Richard laced a single on a curveball to score sophomore first baseman Tom Livingston. The left-handed hitting Richard finished 2-for-2 with two walks and drove in the game-winner.

Tim Barry, the state’s all-time home run and RBI champion, went 1-for-2 with two walks and a first-inning double.

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