Gatton’s gamble pays off for Oak Forest

Updated: June 1, 2011 8:42PM

Oak Forest coach Thad Gatton rolled the dice.

Instead of pitching ace Kyle Funkhouser on Wednesday against Rich Central, the second-year coach handed the ball to Kyle Linares, who had started just four games all season.

Gatton and the Bengals hit the jackpot.

Linares scattered six hits and drove in two runs to lead No. 9 Oak Forest to a 9-4 win over Rich Central in a Class 4A Lincoln-Way West Sectional semifinal.

Now Gatton can turn to a rested Funkhouser (9-0) in Saturday’s sectional final. The Bengals (24-7) will play either Lemont or Joliet Catholic.

“This is the way we were going to go with the rotation,” Gatton said. “I’ve been thinking about this the last three months.”

The Bengals are in position to win their first sectional in 26 years, something the storied program has not accomplished since its Class AA state championship in 1985.

Things didn’t look promising early on. Rich Central (23-8) scored four runs in the top of the first. A single by Nick Collins, a double by Jordan Smith and a triple by Matt Cole all scored runs for an early 4-0 spread.

Little did the Olympians know at the time, but that would be the extent of their offense. Linares allowed two hits the rest of the way,

“You have to keep the intensity going and we didn’t,” Central coach Corey Stallings said. “Give credit to Linares. He turned it around after the first inning.”

Oak Forest chipped away at Central’s lead, clawing to within 4-3 after three innings.

Oak Forest took the lead for good in the fourth. Bobby Sheppard’s two-run single scored John Zubek and Brian Richard for a 5-4 lead.

Olympians pitcher Jayme Taylor didn’t receive much help from his defense, which committed two errors and badly misjudged numerous balls in the infield and outfield.

Oak Forest put the game away with a four-run sixth. Linares helped his own cause with a two-run double and George Jester (2-for-3) added a two-run single.

“I was trying to throw a four-seam fastball the first inning and I hadn’t done that the whole year,” Linares (4-0) said. “It didn’t work out. I went back to the two-seamer in the second inning.”

Cody Murray (3-for-4, RBI) also had a big day at the plate for Oak Forest.

“We knew what we were going to get with ‘Funk,’ (Tim) Barry and Sheppard,” Gatton said. “But Cody, Jester, Richard, (Tom) Livingston and Zubek have been the keys. They’ve really stepped up.”

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