After losing in the IHSA Class 4A regionals in each of the past two seasons, the Fenwick High School baseball team is back in a familiar position: Class 3A sectional champions. The Friars, the top seed in their own sectional, defeated second-seeded Latin 12-6 on Saturday to claim their third sectional title in five years, albeit cut short by weather.
“You always want to play a full game,” said Fenwick coach Kyle Kmiecik. “We’ve been in this situation before in the (2023) supersectional with the weather and having the game get canceled. We trusted the umpires to make the right decision and it’s unfortunate, but we’ll take the win.”
“It was definitely a little weird because this is the biggest game of the season,” said Fenwick senior Luca Ponzio, who drove in a pair of runs. “I’d have liked to give (Latin) a full game, but sometimes that just happens.”
Junior Harrison Dragus set the tone for the day on the mound, retiring the side in order on just four pitches in the top of the first. Dragus went 4.1 innings, allowing six runs (two unearned) on six hits.
“We knew that (Latin) was aggressive with their bats. Harrison made some really good pitches,” Kmiecik said. “He’s done a really good job so far in the playoffs.”
Fenwick (15-20) showed tremendous plate discipline in the bottom half. Gio Rangel led off with a walk, then AJ McConnell reached on an error. Next, Ethan Gonzalez and Jeremy Munoz drew walks, the latter’s resulting in a 1-0 lead.
Elliot Bastedo struck out, but Ponzio drew another bases-loaded walk, then Michael McMahon hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
After Latin scored twice in the second, Fenwick’s offense responded in a big way. Johnny Buchman was hit by a pitch leading off. Rangel’s double and McConell’s walk filled the bases, then Gonzalez hit a two-run double. Another Munoz walk reloaded the bases. Then a fielder’s choice from Bastedo followed by Ponzio’s RBI single made it 7-2.
Latin scored a run in each of the next two innings to draw closer. But McMahon dealt the Romans a crushing blow in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer to left.
“It was a curveball, he hung it in the zone,” said McMahon, who finished the day with five RBI. “It switched the energy to our side. We won every inning besides one, and if you do that, you’re probably gonna win the game.”
“Huge,” Kmiecik said of McMahon’s day. “Mike’s one of those guys who’s humble as it gets. He puts in the work. He hasn’t been an everyday guy for us this season, but he’s stepped up in the end and earned his spot. We knew what he was capable of and he’s really risen to the occasion helping the team.”
Latin scored twice in the top of the fifth to end Dragus’ day. But Jack Fagan came on in relief and got out of the jam thanks to his catcher, Gonzalez, who showed great concentration in catching a high pop-up by the plate.
In the bottom half, McMahon drove in Sean Bell with a single, and Buchman drew a bases-loaded walk for another run, making the score 12-6. As the inning ended, the skies suddenly opened and a soaking rain came down, causing a delay.
While the storm lasted for just a few minutes, it left the infield covered in a vast pool of water. The umpires, along with Kmiecik, Latin coach Spencer Huffman, and Fenwick assistant athletic director Matt Battaglia discussed the situation and consulted with the IHSA. Following the delay, which lasted almost an hour, the field was deemed unplayable and the game declared over.
“We’ve been working at this for four years, all of us seniors,” Ponzio said. “Now we’ve got to take care of business at the supersectional.”
“Everyone’s been working the last few weeks and it’s just good to see it pay off,” McMahon added.
Fenwick, seeking its first state trip, was scheduled to face Crystal Lake South in the supersectional on Monday at Wintrust Field in Schaumburg. However, rainy weather caused a postponement until Tuesday, after press time.
“We know these decisions are carefully and diligently well thought out, and there’s multiple officials trying to figure out potential options. The Wintrust officials have been very helpful and kept us updated throughout the day, which we greatly appreciated,” Kmiecik said via text on Monday. “After learning about the game being postponed we got the guys together for a workout. This team is confident and excited for another opportunity to compete together.”