Benet Academy baseball and Glenbard South square off at Kaneland High School in a Regional Semifinal. The Redwings come in winners of two straight, including a 10-3 win over Moline. The Raiders ride a three-game win streak of their own, most recently shutting out Elmwood Park 11-0. These two met back on April 16, when Benet rolled to a 13-2 win. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Benet ace Jake Rifenburg opens the day in full control on the mound
Benet sends ace Jake Rifenburg to the mound, and the southpaw makes an immediate impact. He picks up two strikeouts in the first inning—one swinging and one looking—to end the frame.
Rifenburg keeps rolling in the second. He strikes out the first two batters swinging, and after a hit-by-pitch puts a runner on, he racks up his fifth K in just two innings.
Glenbard South’s Tommy Burke is on the bump and catches the outside edge for a strike at the knees. He racks up five strikeouts on the day, and we remain scoreless through two.
Top of the third, and Rifenburg is still in control. He gets two more strikeouts—one with a filthy curveball and another up in the zone. That’s seven Ks through three, and no hits allowed.
Nate Cerocke gets Benet going in the bottom half with a single. Then Merrick Sullivan follows with one of his own—two on, no outs for the Redwings.
Burke gets a strikeout looking, and catcher Nicky Louapre steps up big. First, he guns down a runner trying to steal third. Then he tracks a foul ball down the third base line and makes a great catch to end the inning. Still 0-0 after three.
Rifenburg adds two more Ks in the fourth, but Glenbard South finally breaks up the no-hitter with a single from Tim Ewald.
Now with two outs and two on, Evan Bogue lines one to right, but Luke Wildes is there to make the catchIt prevents two runs from scoring in the fourth.
Benet Academy baseball scores nine runs in the fifth against Glenbard South
Bottom five, and Benet loads the bases with no outs. Dom Tomala, Cerocke, and Sullivan all reach via walk or hit-by-pitch. Wildes lifts a sac fly to left, and Luke Doyle—pinch running for Tomala—scores the game’s first run.
Next up is Josh Gugora. He drops one in shallow center between three Raiders. Cerocke comes home, and Benet leads 2-0.
Moments later, Sullivan would score on a passed ball. Now here’s Ethan Mendez with a big swing—he crushes one to deep left, and it’s gone! The senior shortstop launches a three-run homer, and the Redwings now lead 6-0!
Benet keeps pouring it on. Jonathon Rossi smacks one to deep center, and the fielder can’t make the over-the-shoulder catch. Rossi motors into third with a triple.
Tomala keeps the rally alive, lining one to center to drive in Rossi. It’s 7-0.
Cerocke sends a sharp grounder to first that can’t be handled. Doyle scores, and it’s now 8-0 Redwings.
Still in the fifth, Sullivan crushes a triple to center, bringing in Cerocke. Benet plates nine runs in the inning and takes full control at 9-0!
Rifenburg caps off a masterclass in the IHSA Baseball Regional Semifinals
With two outs in the sixth, Rifenburg caps off a masterclass on the mound with his 12th strikeout of the day. He goes six shutout innings, allowing just two hits on 93 pitches. Benet adds one more run off a Mendez RBI single to walk it off by mercy rule, 10-0 in six innings. The Redwings advance to Saturday’s Regional Final.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
