Walk-off double puts ’Canes in final

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JOHNSBURG – Marian Central coach Gregg Wikierak told his players to keep the same approach at the plate before the bottom of the 10th inning Wednesday against St. Viator.

And it worked out well for the Hurricanes.

Trailing by one, the ’Canes scraped together three singles and Karl Steiger hit a two-out, two-run double to deep center field to give Marian a 7-6 IHSA Class 3A Johnsburg Sectional semifinal victory.

Steiger’s hit came one out after the Lions brought in hard-throwing Robert Romano to save the game. Romano struck out the first batter he faced on a high fastball.

“All I can thank is [Romano] for that fastball because that’s what I was looking for,” Steiger said. “I’m a fastball hitter.”

“The faster, the better for me.”

Eli McGuire, who finished the game with three runs, and Scott Franzegrote (two runs) scored on the double by Steiger that narrowly got over the outstretched glove of center fielder Jake Mastrangeli.

Steiger finished the game 2 for 5 and had flied out to center field in his previous two at-bats.

“We really didn’t change anything in the 10th,” Wikierak said. “Early in the game we were a little anxious and hitting a lot of fly balls and pop ups.”

“We went in trying to be patient and making sure the pitcher threw pitches we felt we could hit.”

The ‘Canes (25-9) led, 5-1, after the fifth inning, but the Lions scored four runs on two hits, three walks and a hit batter in the sixth.

Starting pitcher Dave Parr, who pitched five innings and gave up five runs on six hits, four walks and no strikeouts, was relieved by Dave Luczak after loading the bases in the sixth.

Luczak (9-1) walked two batters in the sixth, but struck out three to get out of the inning with the game tied 5-5. Luczak pitched the final five innings with 10 strikeouts and six walks to earn the win.

“Today was probably my worst control I’ve ever experienced on the mound,” Parr said. “I was having trouble keeping the ball low all day.

“I tried to fix it as the game went on, but I just walked too many batters. It was nice to have Dave [Luczak] come in and shut them down.”

Parr made up for his mixed results on the mound with a 4 for 5 day at the plate, driving in three runs with a home run and a double.

Parr’s double in the first and home run in the fourth both gave the ‘Canes a lead.

Marian Central scored three runs in the fifth on one hit and four errors by St. Viator (18-19-1).

“We’ve probably set a state record for most walkoff losses in a single season,” St. Viator coach Mike Manno said. “We’ve done it in different ways, with errors, giving up hits, hitting people.

“It’s just been a crazy year. I can’t explain it, but this one has to be the hardest to drop.”