Frank Garofalo spent much of the season on St. Rita’s bench, watching and waiting.
The junior infielder struggled when he did get chances early in the spring, but he stayed ready and never lost his belief in himself. A late-season injury to Braden Quinn opened the door.
“I always knew I could play with everyone but I never really had an opportunity,” Garofalo said. “When I did get opportunities, I didn’t make the most of it. When ‘BQ’ got hurt, I stepped in and played well.
“I finally got my chance and I kept going.”
Garofalo came through with one of the biggest hits in St. Rita history, ripping a walk-off single to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday to drive in JJ Quinlan with the winning run as the Mustangs edged East Peoria 2-1 in a Class 3A state semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
Sully Kazee, who is committed to Southeastern in Iowa, tossed a three-hitter, struck out three and allowed only one earned run to earn the win for the Mustangs (29-12). Heartland recruit Colin Quinn went 2-for-3, while Julio Gutierrez drove in Jayden Hawkins with a sacrifice fly.
St. Rita will try to win the program’s first state championship at 1 p.m. Saturday against Troy Triad (36-5), a 2-0 winner over Crystal Lake South (29-10). It will be the Mustangs’ fourth championship game, after losing the 4A title games in 2009, 2010 and 2014.
Coach John Nee, a St. Rita alum who has coached in the program for 29 years, knows better than anyone the significance of Saturday’s opportunity.
“It would mean everything for our community and all the past players and past coaches,” Nee said. “We always say tradition never graduates.
“To be in this game (Saturday) is not just for our group, it’s for the entire community.”
Garofalo, who had just four RBIs all season coming into Friday, was the unlikely hero who got the Mustangs there.
After pitcher R.J. Duncheon helped his own cause for East Peoria (27-14) by launching a game-tying homer in the sixth inning to make it 1-1, Garofalo provided the final answer.
Jayden Ibarra led off the bottom of the seventh with a double. He was tagged out at third base on a fielder’s choice after pinch-hitter Quinlan laid down a bunt, but Quinlan made it to second on the play as Ibarra got in a rundown.
Garofalo then ripped a single to left and Quinlan beat the play at the plate to start St. Rita’s celebration.
“I got a fastball,” Garofalo said. “I knew it was a big moment and I was ready for it. I’ve never had a walk-off before, not even before high school or when I was young.
“I was hyped. There were a lot of emotions.”
Garofalo also singled and scored a run in both St. Rita’s 6-2 win over Marian Catholic in the Brooks Sectional championship game and the 2-0 victory over Nazareth in the Crestwood Supersectional.
“We had some injuries in the middle of the year,” Nee said. “Frank stepped in and played third base for a little while, played a bit of shortstop. Every opportunity he got he took advantage of it, particularly defensively, and now this is the third game in a row he’s come up with a big hit.”
Nobody was happier about it than Kazee, who did not have to go out to pitch extra innings.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I was so happy. I had a feeling that someone was going to come through. Seeing that ball get through the hole, I just knew we were going to win the game.”
Garofalo made sure of it.
“I’ve loved baseball ever since T-ball and I love the high-pressure situations,” Garofalo said. “This feels really good.”
