Libertyville’s Chase Lockwood pitched eight innings to win a state semifinal last season, so the senior right-hander remained confident when he got into trouble on Tuesday.
So did Lockwood’s teammates and coaches.f
“He’s the guy we believe in to see it through to the end,” Libertyville coach Matt Thompson said. “We knew when the pressure was on, he’s going to be the guy to deliver.”
Pitching with a one-run lead in the Class 4A Schaumburg Supersectional against Lane Tech, Lockwood stranded three runners in the sixth and overcame a leadoff single and a hit batsman in the seventh as the defending state champion Wildcats pulled out a 2-1 win at Wintrust Field.
“We’ve been on the same team every year since we’ve been 8, and he’s always been the guy you want on the mound,” Libertyville senior shortstop Trevor Wallace said. “Tonight, we really saw that.”
Senior first baseman Braden Tolzien hit two doubles to drive in both runs for Libertyville (29-10-1), which advanced to the state semifinals for the second straight season to play Mount Carmel (30-10) at Slammers Stadium in Joliet at 7 p.m. Friday.
Lockwood, an Illinois State recruit, allowed six hits, walked one, hit one and struck out seven as he became the Wildcats’ all-time wins leader with 30. The only run the Champions (33-7) scored against him was unearned.
This story will be updated. Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
