Benet Academy baseball matches up against St. Francis in the Sectional Finals. The Redwings come in off a 3-0 win in nine innings against Burlington Central in the Sectional Semifinals. St. Francis comes in off a shutout of its own after a 14-0 win against Dixon. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Benet Academy baseball opens the IHSA Sectional with a 5-0 lead after two innings
After a Nathan Cerocke walk to start the game, Luke Wildes is batting for the Redwings as Nolan Galla is pitching for the Spartans. Taking advantage of the wild pitch, Cerocke dashes to home plate for the first score of the game. The Spartan pitcher avoids further damage with a strikeout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the first, Galla steps up to the plate for the Spartans. Zach Maduzia advances to third base on defensive indifference.
Later, with the bases loaded for the Spartans. Benet starting pitcher Gino Zagorac avoids the damage by getting the final out on Colt Armbrust by a strikeout.
In the top of the second, Redwing Luke Stachowiak singles on a hard ground ball towards center field as Quinn Rooney advances to home plate. Benet leads 2-0 in the early going.
After two strikeouts and a walk, the bases are loaded for Benet’s Merrick Sullivan. Sullivan clears the bases on a line drive double towards left field as Ethan Mendez, Stachowiak, and Cerocke add to the Redwing lead.
Redwings add on more runs thanks to Merrick Sullivan
Early in the top of the third, Brady Carroll gives the Spartans some momentum catching Josh Gugora’s fly in foul territory for the out.
Galla finishes out the inning strong after getting the final out on Mendez by strikeout to keep St. Francis in the game.
Moving to the top of the fifth, Sullivan doubles on a fly ball to center field as Cerocke advances to third after reaching base for a third time.
The Redwing offense keeps its foot on the gas after a wild pitch allows Sullivan to score. The Redwings lead 7-0 entering the bottom of the fifth.
Gino Zagorac goes the distance with a one-hitter to lift Benet baseball to the IHSA Sectional title
Benet raises their defensive intensity, right fielder Luke Wildes catches the fly out.
Showing off his arm talent, Zagorac gets the strikeout on Spartan Ian Bagaconza as Benet is three outs away from a sectional title.
In the bottom of the seventh, St. Francis is looking to keep their season alive. Colin Armbrust grounds out to Benet shortstop Ethan Mendez.
Zagorac has himself a day. The pitcher finishes off the Spartans’ hopes with the strikeout for his sixth strikeout of the game to complete a one-hitter. Benet Academy wins its first sectional championship since 2017 after a 7-0 victory over St. Francis. The Redwings advance to Super Sectionals to take on Washington on Monday night.
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