Friday, August 10, 2007 11:03 PM CDT
Defending champ Arlington gets another shot
AMERICAN LEGION STATE TOURNAMENT
BY BRIAN NIELSEN Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
MATTOON - Arlington Heights rallied from a pair of three-run deficits to set up today’s rematch with Rock Island for the American Legion baseball state championship, Jason Ganek had three hits including the go-ahead single in the sixth inning for defending champion Arlington Heights Post 208 in Friday night’s 9-6 win over Danville Post 210.
Matt Lorenz, who started the game at second base, pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief to put an end to what had been a back-and-forth game and give Arlington Heights its chance today.
Rock Island Post 200 defeated Arlington Heights 5-2 in Wednesday’s first round so can wrap up its first state title since 1998 by winning today’s noon game at Grimes Field.
Arlington Heights, which has survived three elimination games including two on Friday, needs to win today’s first game to set up a winner-take-all second game this afternoon. The state champion advances to next week’s Great Lakes Regional in Michigan.
Six errors led to Danville’s doom while Arlington Heights survived its own four errors.
Before its season ended 38-14 with a third-place state finish, Danville had a 6-1 lead after 5 1/2 innings.
Even after Jordan Barney lined into a double play, Danville managed the tying run in the second inning when Michael Kasper singled, Brandon Jones walked and Avion Forthenberry drove in the run with a single.
After leaving runners on first and third base in the third, Danville went ahead 4-1 in the fourth.
Kasper again started things with a single and Jones again walked.
Forthenberry hit into a fielders choice and Jake Jurczak’s infield hit brought home the lead run.
David Worthington added a two-out run-scoring single and another run scored on an errant throw when Worthington appeared to be picked off.
A walk and a dropped fly ball gave Arlington Heights’ Matt Serna the chance to hit a two-run double to cut Danville’s lead to 4-3 in the fifth inning.
But Arlington Heights returned the favor in the sixth. Walks were issued to Forthenberry and Jurczak to start the inning.
Then on Chase Sanford’s bunt, Arlington Heights tried for the force out only for the throw to sail over the third baseman’s head. Both Forthenberry and Jurczak came home to score and Sanford also tried to circle the bases but was thrown out at the plate, costing Danville a run as Worthington followed with his third hit of the night.
A walk also started Arlington Heights’ four-run, take-the-lead sixth.
After Scott Winters drew his second straight walk, Tim Scanlon, pinch-hitter Billy Smith at the top of the order and Andrew Butkus had singles pulling Arlington Heights within a run.
Smith scored the tying run when Kyle Gaedele hit a foul ball caught by second baseman Brandon Jones who was running away from the infield.
Then Ganek’s third hit of the game gave Arlington Heights a 7-6 lead.
That edge grew to 8-6 in the seventh when Winters singled, advanced on a passed ball and scored with two outs on an error.
Another unearned run in the eighth after Butkus’ single made it 9-6.
Danville AB R H BI
Jurczak, ss 4 2 1 1
Sanford, lf 4 0 0 0
Worthington, 1b 4 0 3 1
Scrogham, 3b 5 0 1 0
Montgomery, p 1 0 0 0
Barney, rf 5 0 1 0
Kasper, c 5 2 2 2
Jones, 2b 3 0 0 0
Forthenberry, cf 3 2 1 1
Dennis, p 0 0 0 0
Lewellyn, ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 36 6 10 3
SB-Forthenberry 2. S-Sanford.
Arlington Heights AB R H BI
Churchill, rf 3 1 1 0
Smith, ph 2 1 1 1
Butkus, c 3 3 2 0
Gaedele, lf 3 1 1 1
Ganek, ss 5 0 3 2
Serna, 1b 5 0 2 2
Hagel, dh 3 0 0 0
Winters, cf 2 2 1 0
Scanlon, 3b 4 1 1 0
Lorenz, 2b 3 0 1 0
Totals 33 9 13 6
2B-Serna. S-Lorenz. S-Gaedele. SF-Gaedele.
Danville 010 302 000 - 6-10-6
Arlington Hts. 100 024 11 - 9-13-4
Pitchers IP H R ER BB SO
Danville
Montgomery 5 1/3 8 5 2 5 0
Koerting 2/3 3 2 2 0 1
Dennis 2 2 2 0 0 3
Arlington Heights
Carlson 4 6 4 3 5 2
Henning 1 1/3 2 1 1 2
Lorenz 3 2/3 2 0 0 0 5
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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