The Andrew Thunderbolts worked long and hard Thursday on a couple of baseball basics: hitting the cutoff man and defending the squeeze bunt.
“We ran and ran,” said left-handed pitcher and first baseman Mike Garber. “We ran so much that I threw up.”
Friday, Garber was grateful for the previous day’s discomfort. He was the winning pitcher in a 3-2 victory over previously unbeaten Joliet Catholic. And Andrew (5-1) won because it executed the very plays it practiced the day before.
Matt Schimanski, who pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Joliet Catholic (5-1), was twice thrown out at the plate. The first time came on textbook execution of a relay. The next time, he was out when slick fielding foiled a good squeeze bunt attempt.
Trailing 3-0 in the second inning, Schimanski tried to score from second on Eric Buckles’ single to right. Right-fielder Dan Borrelli hit cutoff man Nathan Wright at first, who threw to catcher Nick Trzesniak.
“I thought at first we weren’t going to get him,” said Trzesniak. “But the throw and the relay were perfect. All I had to do was block the plate and turn.”
Joliet Catholic had a great chance when it put runners on second and third with one out in the home half of the sixth. On a safety squeeze, Schimanski waited until he saw Buckles drop his bunt about 25 feet toward first base. Schimanski broke for home.
“I saw him break out of the corner of my eye,” said lefty Garber, his back toward third base after he delivered. “I heard (Trzesniak) yell, `Squeeze!’ We’d just practiced the play. I picked it up barehanded and shoveled it to Nick.”
“If he had picked it up with his glove and transferred hands,” said Trzesniak, “I don’t think we could have had him at the plate.”
With two out and Nick Fidler breaking from second, Craig Seneker hit what seemed a sure RBI single to right. But second baseman Todd Kozlowski ranged far to his left, gloved the ball on the outfield grass and threw out Fidler. “I’d say it was luck,” said Kozlowski.
“I’d say he made a `Ryne Sandberg play,’ ” said Andrew assistant Bob Gillund, filling in for coach Frank Ganser, whose mother was ill.
