Marian grabs 3rd-place trophy

Marian Central picks up the third-place trophy after their 8-3 victory against Joliet in Saturday's IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament third-place game at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. (Travis Haughton - thaughton@nwherald.com)

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

JOLIET – Baseball was fun again for Marian Central.

The Hurricanes, frustrated and disgusted by their performance a day earlier, were smiling and satisfied Saturday. Marian ripped 10 hits and dumped Joliet Catholic, 8-3, in a rain-shortened, four-inning game for third place in the IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament at Joliet’s Silver Cross Field.

The IHSA determined before Saturday’s games, because of rain forecasted, that the Class 3A and 4A third-place games would be five innings to allow a better chance for completion of both championships.
At 10:17 a.m., umpires suspended play because of rain, and the infield was covered with a tarp. An hour later, after several lightning strikes, the game was made official and the field was prepared for the championship between Chatham Glenwood and DeKalb.

“We’d like to have played seven innings, but it doesn’t mean anything less,” Hurricanes coach Gregg Wikierak said. “Dave [Luczak] was throwing strikes and we were putting the ball in play hard,” Wikierak said. “This is a lot more pleasurable to be here than [Friday]. This is what we hoped would happen yesterday.”

Marian lost to DeKalb, 6-1, in the semifinal after striking out eight times and committing five errors. The ’Canes (28-10) set a different tone right away with four hits and three runs in the first inning. Joliet Catholic (24-15) scored a pair of unearned runs to tie the score, 3-3, in the third, but Marian came back with four more in the bottom of the inning.

“As soon as we got to the field, it felt much better today,” third baseman Karl Steiger said. “We came here to play baseball and have a lot of fun.”

Steiger had pair of RBI doubles and Scott Franzegrote was 2 for 3, making him 6 for 7 for the weekend. Eight Hurricanes had hits in their 3 2/3 innings before the game was called.

Marian’s semifinal appearance marked the farthest it had ever advanced in the state tournament. The Hurricanes had reached the state quarterfinals in the Class A State Tournament three times.

“It’s always good to end with a win,” said pitcher Dave Luczak, who finished 9-1. “Only two teams in our class get to do that. Yesterday we didn’t play our game at all, but now we ended on a good note.”

Steve Zubryzcki started things for the Hurricanes with a single in the first. Franzegrote made his only out, but Eli McGuire singled, Dave Parr doubled and Steiger doubled to make it 3-1. The Hilltoppers retired Marian in the second, but the Hurricanes had five hits in the third and were looking to add more in the fourth.

Steiger looked disappointed when the umpires called the game and he didn’t get another chance. His first ball went to the warning track in right-center, his second hit the wall in left.

“I’m a fastball hitter, and luckily for me they didn’t know that and they gave me some fastballs,” Steiger said. “They were both right down the middle.”