Pitching duel does not go Trevians’ way in season-ending sectional showdown

If you don’t get to good pitching early, you might not get to it at all.

That age-old baseball adage proved true Saturday afternoon as a pair of Maine South righthanders delivered a dominant pitching performance to bring New Trier baseball’s season to an end.

The Hawks outlasted the Trevians 4-1 in 11 innings June 7 in Glenview, claiming a sectional title and advancing to the final eight of the IHSA Class 4A postseason.

After the Trevs scored a run in the bottom of the first, Hawks hurlers held them scoreless over the next 10 innings to pitch their way to a sectional championship.

A couple of timely, two-out hits in the top of the 11th led to a trio of Maine South runs that proved to be the difference.

“We had opportunities really throughout the whole game,” New Trier head coach Dusty Napoleon said. “We had runners in scoring position … but I give Maine South credit. Those guys threw really well and we knew that they were talented and they just beat us today.”

Game action

New Trier capitalized on a Hawks’ error in the bottom of the first to push the game’s opening run across. Two batters after Zach Perchik smacked a line-drive single up the middle, Ben Toft hit a ground ball that snuck through the infield to score Perchik.

The Trevian loaded the bases in the inning, but Hawks starter Jack Gianikos worked his way out of danger to limit the damage.

New Trier maintained its advantage until the top of the fifth when the Hawks made the most of a leadoff walk, which was just their second player to reach base to that point.

Pinch runner Jack Guercio made a great play on the bases, advancing from first to third on a sacrifice bunt. Hawks senior Joe Mule then drove in Guercio with a sacrifice fly to even the score.

The fifth inning was the only blemish on the book for New Trier starter Greg Campitelli, who turned in a superb effort, allowing just four hits across his 5 1/3 innings of work. He walked one and struck out two and also retired the first 11 batters he faced before surrendering a hit.

But matching Campitelli pitch for pitch was Gianikos. The junior pitcher got better as the game went on, striking out eight Trevians while allowing only two hits over 6 1/3 innings.

The stellar pitching performances continued after the starters left the game. New Trier junior Nick Bailey relieved Campitelli and delivered a dominant showing to keep the game tied.

Bailey retired 12 straight Maine South batters after entering the game. Early in his appearance, he struck out four straight Hawks hitters. He struck out seven batters across his 5 1/3 innings in relief.

Maine South found life in the top of the 11th though after a leadoff walk. The Hawks once again got their baserunner into scoring position with a sac bunt.

Catcher Luka Stojakovic then got the timely hit the Hawks needed, knocking a single in between shortstop and third base. New Trier shortstop Caiden Carpenter showcased great range to get to the ball, but it kicked off his glove just far enough to allow the Hawks to score.

The Hawks then broke the game open with a double into the right-center gap that plated two more runs.

“Good things happen when you put the ball in play with runners on base and they did that in that inning,” Napoleon said. “And when we had our chances, we didn’t do a good enough job.”

After Gianikos exited the game in the seventh, New Trier could not find better luck against Maine South’s Jake Zabratanski. The senior pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings to keep the Trevians at bay and ultimately close out the game.

“Their pitchers were getting ahead and really just challenging our guys,” Napoleon said. “They were throwing their fastball for a strike, and when you have good stuff, and an upper 80s fastball, you have to be ready to go and those guys did a good job of working ahead. When your stuff is good and you’re ahead in the count, you’re hard to hit.”

Season in summary

Although the extra-inning defeat brings an end to New Trier’s season, the Trevians have plenty to hang their hats on.

New Trier advanced to the state’s final 16 teams for the third time in five seasons, won the Central Suburban League South conference title again and eclipsed the 28-win mark for the third consecutive season.

“I’m proud of the guys,” Napoleon said. “It was a great year. Today was a really clean ballgame with good pitching and clean defense — and they got a timely hit and we didn’t.”

“Just as a team in general, we got better as the year went on,” Napoleon later added. “Today was not the outcome anybody wanted or expected, but looking back on the year, I’m just really proud of the guys for how hard they played.”

The Trevs bid farewell to a superb senior class that included Indiana recruit Trey Meyers, Perchik, Carpenter, Iowa-bound Toft, CJ Donnelly and Jake Bentivenga as well Henrik Conniff, one of their top pitchers.

But several key contributors, including Bailey, Campitelli, Luke Mastros, Mason Bloom, Henry Rasis and Keenan Donaldson are slated to return.

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