Oswego’s Joey Cecola was there to see it with his own eyes.
The atmosphere was electric last Thursday at Jackie’s Field of Dreams in Oswego.
“You can’t think about who’s in the stands,” Cecola said. “You can’t worry about the crowd noise. You just have to focus in and throw your game.”
That’s exactly what Cecola did too.
Hundreds of fans turned out for the Panthers’ crosstown game under the lights against Oswego East. Dozens of Major League Baseball scouts and talent evaluators were on hand.
They were out in force to catch a glimpse of Oswego East seniors Ashton Izzi (Wichita State) and Noah Schultz (Vanderbilt), a pair of big-time Division I recruits.
Cecola, a senior left-hander, took full advantage of the opportunity, though. The Illinois-Springfield commit struck out 11 in six innings, leaving with a 6-2 lead.
While Oswego East rallied with four runs in the top of the seventh and won 8-7 in eight innings, Cecola made his mark on the mound.
“Noah and Ashton are two great pitchers,” Cecola said. “Everyone knows that. At the end of the day, you just have to come out and pitch your game.”
Oswego coach Joe Giarrante pulled Cecola aside before the game because he knew the kind of atmosphere Cecola would be pitching in that night.
“I said, ‘You just be Joey — don’t worry about anything more than what you’re capable of,'” Giarrante said. “I think he might have opened some eyes. It was possible for him to put his name on the map.
“He’s got that funky arm slot. He can move the ball all over the plate. He’s really worked on his off-speed stuff. He’s really come a long way.”
Cecola has struck out 48 and walked 13 in 34 1/3 innings this season, sporting a 2.85 ERA.
“I knew he had it in him,” Giarrante said. “He’s worked so hard to get to the point where he’s at. That’s what I love to see out of a player. As a hitter, it’s very challenging to hit.
“It showed that night. I was very pleased with how he handled himself in that atmosphere and that setting. He commanded the game and did everything we asked of him.”
While Cecola stayed in the moment during the game, he reflected afterward on what a cool memory that experience will become.
“Especially against those two guys,” Cecola said. “Not many people can say they faced those two D-I guys in that atmosphere. That was definitely a crazy story.”
Oswego now turns its focus to the postseason.
The Panthers open Thursday in the Class 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional against the host Warriors, who won the DuPage Valley Conference Tournament with an 18-8 win over Naperville Central.
Oswego lost 4-3 to Waubonsie in nine innings earlier this season. Cecola started and worked 4 2/3 innings, striking out eight and giving up one run.
“We had them beat for the majority of that game,” Cecola said. “I feel like we’re confident going into that game.”
With Cecola on the mound, Giarrante knows the Panthers have a chance.
“If we get what Joey did last Thursday, we’ll be in a good position to win a regional,” Giarrante said.
A welcome sight: Anthony Estrada, who transferred from Marmion to St. Charles North, has made an immediate difference for the North Stars.
The 6-foot-5 junior third baseman/pitcher has helped fill the void left by the graduation of Notre Dame’s Nick DeMarco, the 2021 Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year.
Estrada, who has slotted into the heart of the North Stars’ lineup, hit a booming homer to center field this week at Batavia. He also has contributed on the mound.
“We’re very happy to have Tony on the team,” St. Charles North assistant coach Brett Wikierak said. “He’s been extremely helpful, filling the shoes of all the guys we graduated last year. He’s done a nice job.”
Milestone moment: St. Charles East’s 10-3 win Monday at Wheaton North not only clinched the DuKane Conference title, it also was the 450th career win for coach Len Asquini.
Asquini took over for Wayne DeMaar in 1996 and led the Saints to their first and only state championship in 1999. After an eight-year hiatus as head coach, Asquini returned in 2012.
St. Charles East has won four regional titles since his return, taking third in Class 4A in 2013.
The Saints, who earned the top seed in the South Elgin Sectional, open play in the Glenbard West Regional at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s game between West Chicago and Wheaton Warrenville South.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
