For Harvest-Westminster’s Ryan St. Louis, there was no indication before his school’s merger with an Elgin neighbor that his could be the gateway to the state finals, but here they are.
St. Louis, a junior who starts at shortstop when he doesn’t pitch, has helped lead the way.
“Last year was a huge rivalry between us,” St. Louis said of Harvest Christian and Westminster Christian. “That’s why I was a little surprised we came together so well. I didn’t know we were going to have this caliber of team. We really jelled.
“I think it’s because it’s just a great group of guys. I wouldn’t have thought state was possible before we went through the season, but more and more, I was sure we would actually make a run in the playoffs.”
St. Louis sparked the continuation of that run Tuesday for Harvest-Westminster with a pair of doubles in the first three innings for a 4-2 lead in a 13-6 win over Chicago Hope in the Class 2A Kane County Cougars Supersectional at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.
What to call them?
“Harvest-Westminster Lions-Warriors,” coach Matthew Schulenberg, an assistant last season at Westminster said. “It’s a mouthful. Next year, we’ll be River Valley Christian Rams. It will be simpler.”
The Lions-Warriors (27-7) put the game away with a five-run fourth inning highlighted by a two-run single from senior outfielder Brian Powers and a four-run fifth featuring an RBI double by junior reliever Tommy Neubert over the head of the left fielder that bounced against the fence.
Senior pitcher Jameson Rapinchuk (7-2) struggled with his control early for Harvest-Westminster, walking five in the second inning and giving up two runs without a hit.
He finished strong, though, allowing only one hit over four innings and retiring seven straight to end his outing.
“He’s our best guy and has been great for us all season,” Schulenberg said of Rapinchuk. “We ride him out as long as we can usually. He is our ace.
“Due to the game being pushed back a day, we wanted to save him for state as much as we can, so 75 pitches was the limit (Tuesday) to be able to throw him Saturday.”
Neubert and senior left-hander Luke Bartolome covered the final three innings in closing out Hope (21-15).
“We risked it a little bit,” Schulenberg said. “But we thought if we’re gonna go for it, we needed him to come out.”
Powers added a sacrifice fly and finished with three RBIs to take the team lead at 34.
“After those early struggles, I think we were all thinking we’re better than this team,” Powers said. “We just have to go out there and hit the ball, score runs and put the game away.”
St. Louis drew three straight walks after his two doubles.
“I just got a pitch to hit and drove it to right-center both times,” he said. “The walks were a little frustrating. I was hoping to do a little more damage with my bat.
“But a runner on base is a runner on base. That’s the goal.”
Schulenberg pointed out that St. Louis, who’s hitting .408 with 10 doubles, a triple, a team-high three home runs and 29 RBIs, has been strong all spring. He has 34 stolen bases and also threw a one-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in the 3-0 win over Winnebago in the sectional final.
“He’s been our four guy all year long,” Schulenberg said of his cleanup hitter. “We trust him so much. The major thing about him, most four hitters don’t have the speed he has and they don’t have the contact he has, but they do have the power he has.
“He goes out there every game and impresses us on the bases at the plate and on the pitcher’s mound as well. We’ll see him Friday in the first game at state.”
