Brian Herold has had a feeling that this might be a very special summer for the Clarendon Hills Little League Baseball team.
It’s a feeling that’s been growing for the last four years, and when it came time for tournament games leading to the Little League World Series, he was proved correct.
Herold is the manager of the 12-and-under team that won the league’s first-ever state championship at that level Wednesday, July 24 in Elgin with a 2-0 victory over La Grange Park. The win advances Clarendon Hills to the Great Lakes Region Tournament in Whitestown, Indiana.
Clarendon Hills opens play at 7 p.m. Aug. 2 against a team from Indiana. The Great Lakes group also includes teams from Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan. The championship game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday Aug. 6. Several games will be shown on ESPN.
Clarendon Hills advanced to the 14-team State Tournament by winning the District 11 competition in Hinsdale and went on to dominate the state field in Elgin. Clarendon Hills outscored its opponents, 60-7, while compiling a perfect, 6-0 record.
“The differential is misleading,” Herold said. “We played some very good teams during the State Tournament, but managed to play mistake-free baseball. Our pitching and defense were outstanding and consistent throughout the tournament.”
Along with being the manager of this year’s 12U team. Herold was the manager two years ago of the Clarendon Hills team that won the State Championship in the 10-year-old tournament, and many of those players were part of this year’s 12U team. But Herold’s good feelings about these boys goes back even further, “since they were 8 years old.”
“We recognized their talent, willingness to work hard and get better, and an appreciation to work together as a team,” he said.
After losing in the district tournament to Naperville, which ultimately won the state title, the team has put in extra work to get better, he added.
While he felt his team was ready for success this year, Herold said he expected the District 11 competition to be challenging.
“Our district is arguably the most difficult in the state,” he said. “We knew we couldn’t take any team lightly and had to approach every game like it was the championship.”
Because bracket-play seeding from the first two rounds was determined by record and fewest runs allowed, making the right choices about the pitching rotation became very important, Herold said.
“When we achieved the number one seed in bracket play, we knew we had a better path, based on our pitching eligibility,” he said. “Everything lined up for us. Our pitching depth is a major advantage of our team. We used seven pitchers during the tournament and feel confident in each one of them in any situation.”
Player Luke Schaller was outstanding on the mound for Clarendon Hills in the state championship game. He pitched all six innings and gave up only four hits, while striking out three and walking one.
Clarendon Hills scored its first run in the third inning on an RBI single by Brody Herold, driving in Hudson Lauerman. The second run came in the fourth inning when Connor Lazar’s base hit drove in Liam Harrigan.
“We recognize that this is a very special group that has achieved something unprecedented for a town of our size,” Herold said. “We also have an appreciation for the investment that our town puts into the game of Little League and the opportunities it provides.”
Herold said the approach in getting ready for the region tournament is no different than what it’s been all season.
“We highlight ‘perfect practice makes perfect.’” He said.” The boys have committed to putting in the necessary work. Our goal is to win each inning of every game we play. We have a very balanced team with solid pitching and defense. We certainly hope the journey continues beyond the Region, but we are going to play one game at a time.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
