Thirty-one games into the season, Benet coach Scott Lawler knows one thing about his team.
Pitching needs to lead the way again if the Redwings — who will be hosting — are to win the program’s first regional title since 2008.
“I’ll be honest with you,” Benet coach Scott Lawler said. “I can’t ask for more from what our pitching’s done all year. (Mike Powers and Alex Analitis) did an outstanding job again (vs. St. Viator on Saturday).
“We just need to string stuff together and when we do that, I’d like to see how we’re going to do in the playoffs that way.”
Powers and Analitis combined to throw 12 2/3 of 14 innings against St. Viator, but Benet dropped both games of the doubleheader by identical 2-1 scores.
After sharing East Suburban Catholic Conference championships the previous two years, Benet (16-15, 7-10) entered the season with elevated expectations. The Redwings play Joliet Catholic on Wednesday.
Benet earned a top-four playoff seed at second in the Class 3A Nazareth Sectional. Still, Lawler knows his offense has to find a consistent groove for the postseason after losing in the regional finals the last two years to Clemente and Fenwick, respectively.
Last Tuesday, Benet beat Marist 3-1. Since then, the Redwings have scored only three runs in their last 29 innings, resulting in a four-game losing streak.
“It’s frustrating and I know it’s not just me,” Lawler said. “It’s our whole team. We’re still going at it, trying to put things together. So I know this group has high expectations still for next weekend, also in the playoffs.”
Warrior watch
Waubonsie Valley (23-5) went into the final week of the regular season having sewn up the second seed of the 4A Romeoville Sectional. And the Warriors have been resilient.
Junior right-hander Jason Neville gave a good example of that in his start at Metea Valley. He was playing with an injured shin, which he suffered with just one out to go in a complete game vs. Neuqua on May 6.
Neville also had to play the role of stopper, pitching the day after Brandon Petersen suffered his first loss of the year. The Mustangs opened the three-game series with a 6-3 win, then Neville (6-1) stepped up with his fifth complete game, striking out five.
“We’re not used to (Petersen losing),” Neville said. “It’s a new situation for me, being down one game in the series. I’m used to already (having a) 1-0 lead (in the series), But it’s a good learning experience because (it’s) good to pitch down when we need it. Good to be clutch then.”
Szott luck
Seven times this season, senior right-hander Jack Szott (7-3) has struck out at least 10 hitters for Metea. He had 10 again in a 10-4 victory over South Elgin on May 7, breaking the career program strikeout record of 88 set by Tom Bolle.
Last month, Szott already passed Christian Howell as the single-season strikeout leader. Szott eclipsed Howell’s 60 strikeouts from 2014 by virtue of 14 strikeouts in a no-hitter against Larkin in a 6-0 victory on April 27.
For the year, the Western Michigan-bound Szott has a 1.15 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings for Metea, the sixth seed in the 4A Romeoville Sectional.
Baumgartner is a freelance writer.
