Oswego keeps on winning
Panthers capture first sectional title in school history
ROCHELLE -- Power hitting and pitching proved to be a winning formula for the upstart Oswego Panthers on Saturday.
Oswego's 11-3 triumph over Burlington Central in the championship of the Class 3A Rochelle Sectional is the latest chapter in a storybook second season.
donnell collins / for the Beacon News
John Patsch/Staff Photographer
PHOTO GALLERY
• Oswego wins sectional
• Rock Island Super-Sectional: Oswego vs. LaSalle-Peru, 5 p.m. Monday
Having had a 5-4 start disintegrate into a 7-23 regular-season finish, it's no wonder coach Chris Neitzel got his crew to forget the past and consider the start of IHSA tournament play to be a blank slate.
Four wins later, the Panthers have the school's first sectional plaque for baseball and the Southwest Prairie Conference's cellar-dweller will prepare for Monday's Rock Island Super-Sectional against a LaSalle-Peru club that captured its trophy with an 11-1 drubbing of sectional host Washington.
Game time is 5 p.m. at Augustana College's Bruner Field at Swanson Stadium.
"I know I sound like a broken record. Yes, we had a rough regular season, but everyone starts postseason play 0-0 and the kids bought into it. Credit the kids for being positive," Neitzel said. "At the same time, we went a month and a half without (Scott) Allegretti and (Parker) Meek. We also played a predominantly 4A schedule, so playing the Naperville Norths and Plainfields made us better than our record."
Although Meek slugged a two-run homer in the bottom of the second, Burlington Central (25-7) got a solo blast to left field from Tyler Wilkening in the third and capitalized on a pair of Oswego errors in the fourth to push home two for a 3-2 advantage.
And it could've gotten worse since Central had the bases loaded with just one out. That's when Allegretti relieved starter Brad Lemar (four strikeouts, three hits and three runs) and got the Rockets to hit into a force at home for a second out, before the sophomore lefty got Zach Romando on a called third strike.
"Taking nothing away from Brad; I just thought Scott would be a nice change of pace," Neitzel said. "Scott gets the win, but I consider it a tag-team effort. Both he and Brad did the job on the mound, just as they combined for the regional title."
Despite some initial jitters, Allegretti bumped his ledger up to 2-4 (four strikeouts, two hits and two walks) and exemplified Neitzel's mantra.
"I believe we've really come together as a team. We've forgotten the regular season and we're now undefeated in the tourney, and going just one game at a time," Allegretti said. "I was nervous coming in with the bases loaded, but after the first couple of pitches I settled down and knew my teammates were with me."
In the bottom of that frame, the Panthers answered in resounding fashion as Jordan Frieders' double to right evened the contest before Meek picked up his third and fourth RBIs with a single to center for a 5-3 lead. Steve Figgins followed with a single to right-center, and Josh Wagner had a bunt single before Cory Johnson's grand slam made it a 9-3 contest.
That's when Burlington Central ace pitcher Nick Hahn exited after 55 pitches, while seeing his own record for the year end at 11-1.
"Nick's battled through tough outings in the past, but that was my fault, I may have left him in one batter too many," Rockets coach Kyle Nelson said. "Baseball is a game of momentum. We had a couple opportunities to drive in more runs and didn't do it. Then they answered back with that big inning."
The Panthers also tacked on single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth while Allegretti and his defensive mates stranded four Rockets over the last three innings.
"All the RBIs are good, but winning is what's really great," Meek said. "Brad started off amazing and then Scott shut them down. Offensively, we were pumped to face such a good pitcher and the more we hit the ball well, the more confident we got." Baseball: Class 3A Rochelle Sectional
