Back from the brink

Cary-Grove’s Keven Weber connects for a hit during a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division game last month in Huntley. The Trojans, who finished fourth last season in the IHSA Class 4A Baseball State Tournament, will meet Huntley in the Class 4A Larkin Sectional final at 10 a.m. today. (Catalin Abagiu – cabagiu@nwherald.com)

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The theme for the week among local baseball playoff teams was comebacks.

Huntley, Cary-Grove and Marian Central rallied for victories in their respective sectional semifinals and will play for sectional championships at 10 a.m. today.

Huntley (27-9) meets C-G (25-12) for the IHSA Class 4A Larkin Sectional title in a matchup of Fox Valley Conference Valley Division co-champions. Marian Central (25-9) faces Grayslake Central (30-7) in the Class 3A Johnsburg Sectional title game at Tiger Field.

Huntley’s situation appeared less than sunny Wednesday after two innings against Hononegah. Trailing by three runs with starter Chris Klein struggling, the Red Raiders were in great shape compared to C-G and Marian in their games.

The Raiders got the offense rolling in the third, then put the Indians away in the fifth and sixth innings and will be shooting for their first sectional title in school history. Huntley coach Andy Jakubowski spread out the final five innings over three pitchers – Jake Staab, Jeremy Ahillen and Matt Morin – all of whom C-G might see again today. They were all tough on Hononegah, holding the Indians scoreless over the final five innings in an 11-3 win.

“This is a lot of pressure off,” Raiders first baseman Tom Crohan said after the victory. “Our motto this season’s been ‘Reload.’ We’re trying to set the bar as high as we can.”

Huntley wanted to advance farther than last year, which it accomplished with Wednesday’s win. C-G knocked the Raiders out in the DeKalb Sectional semifinals last season.

C-G is trying to head back to the Class 4A State Tournament after taking fourth last year but was nearly knocked out Thursday by South Elgin. C-G won, 10-9, in 10 innings but had to rally for five runs in the sixth to tie the score at 8-8. They scored one in the ninth after two outs to force another extra inning, then won in the bottom of the 10th.

“It was unbelievable,” shortstop Chris Waylock said. “I was actually sitting there thinking, ‘Can we finish this? Can we finish this?’ We never think we’re going to lose.”

Trojans coach Don Sutherland used five pitchers, but none of the relievers worked long, so everyone should be ready behind left-hander Matt Panek, today’s likely starter.

“We split with them during the season, so this is the grudge match late in the season,” C-G catcher Eric Chandler said. “We’ll see who’s got it and who doesn’t.”

Marian survived another 10-inning game, 7-6, on Wednesday against St. Viator. Karl Steiger’s two-run double in the bottom of the 10th sent the Hurricanes to the sectional final. They are looking to reach a supersectional for the first time since 2005.

The long game proved to be less than ideal for the Hurricanes, whose top two pitchers, Dave Parr and Dave Luczak, each threw five innings. Parr threw 88 pitches, and Luczak threw 107. Marian coach Gregg Wikierak wasn’t sure Friday what he was going to do.

“We may go with Chris Wagner, our No. 3, and see if he can get us two or three innings,” Wikierak said. “Then we could go to the other guys [Parr and Luczak]. Dave [Parr] only had 73 pitches in the fifth inning and we were winning, 5-1, and I never thought that would happen.”

Parr lost his control and Luczak came in to finish the game, although some walks made his pitch count swell.