Will Rewers certainly rose to the occasion for St. Rita.
And after pitching the game of his life to take the Mustangs back to state for the first time since 2019, the senior right-hander basked in a whirlwind of emotions.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Rewers said. “I’m surprised I’m not crying right now. I’m probably going to cry later when I get home. But not sad crying, obviously.
“I’ve been dreaming about playing for a state championship since I was a freshman. It feels amazing to be here.”
Rewers, a St. Ambrose recruit, shut down high-powered Nazareth, tossing a two-hitter and striking out 10 Monday to lift St. Rita to a 2-0 win in the Class 3A Crestwood Supersectional at Ozinga Field.
Julio Gutierrez went 2-for-4 with a double and a run while Frank Garofalo singled and scored for the Mustangs (28-12), who clinched the program’s fifth state trophy.
St. Rita will take on East Peoria (27-13) — an 8-1 winner over Geneva — at 10 a.m. Friday in a state semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
“This is wonderful, man,” Gutierrez said. “I’m at a loss for words now, I’m just so excited to do this with my boys. We’re almost done but God’s not finished, though.”
Rewers held Nazareth (29-10) to a single in the third inning and a base hit in the sixth. He walked two and hit a batter.
Those were the only baserunners. He twice retired Florida State recruit Landon Thome, a highly touted MLB prospect and the son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, on a flyout and a strikeout along with walking him once.
“When I face guys like that, I just want to make sure no one’s on base when they come up,” Rewers said. “I did a good job of that. But the strikeout I had in his third at-bat definitely fired me up and fired everyone else up.”
Rewers improved to 8-1 with a 2.47 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 51 innings.
It’s been quite a senior season for someone whose career has not been all smooth sailing. He had to get elbow surgery as a freshman.
“It wasn’t full Tommy John but it was a partial reconstruction,” he said. “They were able to sew it back together and put on a brace. It happened my third outing freshman year against Fenwick and I remember the pain. I was back about midway through my sophomore year.
“My old habit was I would throw all with my arm. That’s how I got injured. I had to learn to pitch with my body.”
Rewers has definitely done that, and he’s pitching the best of his career at the perfect time.
“Will’s a dog,” Gutierrez said. “I think he’s tops in the country. He carries his team. To pitch a shutout in a supersectional, only the ones do that and he’s a one.”
Gutierrez gave Rewers the only run support he would need when he doubled to lead off the fourth inning and scored on a balk. Garofalo singled and scored on a wild pitch in the seventh.
Rewers did the rest, so St. Rita coach John Nee already envisions letting future Mustangs know about the performance.
“We told a bunch of stories before the game about all our past supersectional championships and I said, ‘Hey, do something tonight where we’re going to be telling stories about you,’” Nee said. “Now, we’re going to be telling Will’s story.”
Rewers will be telling it, too. He let Nee know he planned to sleep with the supersectional plaque Monday night.
“This is definitely the best game of my life,” Rewers said. “I think the only thing that could top it is if we play for a state championship on Saturday.”
