JOLIET – Burbank St. Laurence Catholic jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the top of the fourth, with Triad rallying in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings, but the Viking lead was too much to overcome, as St. Laurence won the IHSA Class 3A semifinal game over the Knights 11-6 at Slammers Stadium in Joliet on Friday morning.
Triad’s six-game winning streak was ended with the loss, relegating the Knights to Saturday’s third-place game in Joliet.
The Vikings jumped out ahead with four runs in the second, starting with a base hit by Adrian Perez, and a one out walk to Enrique Villanueva. One out later, an RBI single by Daniel Donovan brought in Perez to make it 1-0. Another RBI single, this by Connor Marino, brought in both courtesy runner Anthony Visnaiz and Donovan to make it 3-0, with Marino going to second on the throw to the plate. Walks to Mickey Loftus and Daniel Coyle loaded the bases, after which Marino scored on a passed ball to put St. Laurence up 4-0.
The Vikings scored four more runs in the top of the fourth, starting when Donovan reached on an error by the shortstop to lead off the frame, and was still at second two outs later when Coyle reached on another error by the shortstop, allowing Donovan to score to give St. Laurence a 5-0 lead. Cory Lee was intentionally walked, and Perez singled home Coyle and Lee to make it 7-0, Perez advancing to second on the throw to the plate. Ben Geary singled home Perez to give the Vikings an 8-0 lead.
The Knights were being held to three hits in the first five innings by pitcher Jimmy Benson, but came alive in the bottom of the sixth, starting with back-to-back singles by Hayden Bernreuter and Hayden Bugger, Keegan Seipp was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Nolan Keller singled home Bernreuter to cut the deficit to 8-1. An RBI single by Carter Gaskill, and a bases loaded walk to Braxton Yates brought in Bugger and Seipp respectively to make it 8-3, but a strikeout ended the uprising.
With one out in the top of the seventh, Villanueva singled, and went to second when O. Vasquez was hit by a pitch. Donovan doubled home Villanueva to make it 9-3 for the Vikings, with Vasquez going to third. Marino singled home both Vazquez and Donovan to up the lead to 11-3.
The Knights rallied again in the bottom of the seventh, starting when Bernreuter reached on an error by the shortstop, going to second on Bugger’s single. Seipp then hit a three-run homer over the right field fence, scoring Bernreuter and Bugger ahead of him, making in 11-6, but it would be as close as Triad would get, as a pair of strikeouts ended the game in favor of St. Laurence 11-3.
Gaskill had two hits and an RBI for the Knights, while both Bernreuter and Bugger had two hits each, Keegan Seipp’s homer was hit only hit and three RBIs on the day, Keller and Yates both had a hit and RBI, and Kannon Seipp had a hit.
Bernreuter was the starting pitcher, and was charged with the loss, going two innings and allowing four runs, three earned on four hits, walking three and striking out three, while Sawyer Brunson went two innings, giving up four unearned runs on three hits, walking two and striking out three. Pearce Goodfield pitched 0.2 innings, not allowing a run or hit, while walking and striking out none, and Brody Hasquin threw the final 2.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits, walking one and fanning none.
The Knights are now 33-7, and meet the loser of the second semifinal, either Lisle Benet Academy Catholic or Cary-Grove, in the third place game Saturday morning at 10 a.m., while the Vikings go to 36-5, and meet the winner of the Redwings-Trojans game in the state final Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
