Caravan pushes on after tragedy

Updated: July 19, 2011 10:23PM

Mount Carmel baseball players already were wearing the letters “TM” on their jerseys in memory of assistant coach Tony Morsovillo, who died last December after battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

This spring they played Stevie’s Game, dedicated to Steve Bajenski, a Caravan player who died in August of 2009 after complications from heart surgery. And now there is yet another token of mourning: a brown T-shirt with the name and number of rising senior Kevin Kennelly, who died from injuries suffered while trying to break up a fight at an Indiana beach two weeks ago.

Through it all, Caravan coach Brian Hurry, his staff and the players have leaned on each other, and the game, to pull them through.

“We’ve had a tough ride the last few years,” pitcher Marko Boricich said after helping Mount Carmel beat Oak Lawn 4-1 Tuesday in the Richards Regional quarterfinals of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association’s Phil Lawler Classic.

“The guys are helping each other out getting through this whole thing,” Boricich said. “Having a team like we do, having everyone behind each other and (with) everyone who’s passed in these last years – definitely you get that feeling out there sometimes that they’re there with you.”

“It’s an extremely difficult situation,” Hurry said. “These boys have been through so much. ... Kevin was a great kid. He was one of the most popular players on the team. ...

“All the coaches said to each other, to the players, we’re going to be here for each other.”

The spirit carries through on the field, where Boricich struck out six and allowed five hits and a run over six-plus innings.

“I had nice fielding behind me today,” he said. “I didn’t get too many Ks, but I got through it pretty well.”

“He does a good job of getting ahead of hitters,” Hurry said. “He pitches to contact and we did a pretty good job defensively behind him.”

Boricich figures to be in the mix next spring for another deep Caravan pitching staff that will also feature T.J. Laurisch (currently out with an injury), Frank Kelly and Jeremy Kravetz, the likely starter against Oak Forest in today’s semifinal.

Boricich also got some offensive help from Justin Gonzalez (3-for-3, walk, RBI), Josh Gaal (2-for-4, double, 2 runs) and Jim Kennedy (2-for-3, run, RBI). Cody Marek (2-for-3, run) and Chris Rafacz (2-for-3, RBI) led Oak Lawn.

Oak Forest 7, Richards 4: Mike Owens was 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored, and Ricky Vargas pitched two-run ball over the final four innings as the Bengals eliminated the host Bulldogs in the first quarterfinal.

“Our strength this year is definitely going to be on the mound,” said Oak Forest coach Thad Gatton, whose team returns ace Kyle Funkhouser among others from the 2011 Class 3A state runner-up club. “Funkhouser is above and beyond, but after that we’ve got about 10 kids who are quality high school pitchers, so I’m pretty happy with that.”

Vargas understands the value of catching Gatton’s eye now. “I definitely want to prove to hkm I can play,” he said. “I’m going out there and trying my hardest every day.”

Gatton also has been pleasantly surprised by the Bengals’ hitting after the loss of mainstays Tim Barry and Bobby Sheppard. “We’re going to have some depth next year,” the coach said.

Kyle Linares was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Oak Forest, while Jake Bieriger went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI for Richards.

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