When harnessed correctly, confidence can be a potent drug.
And Benet – despite a 14-19 record – has a lot of it right now at the exact right time.
Fresh off claiming the program’s second straight regional title, Benet has Montini in its crosshairs come Thursday at the Class 3A Fenwick Sectional while looking for more.
“We’ve had obstacles this year that I think our team has done a great job of overcoming,” Benet coach Scott Lawler said. “And right now, I feel that same kind of vibe we had in the summer. The dugout, it’s just a positive energy right now that I wouldn’t put it past this team to make a big run.”
A day after C.J. Birck and Pat Barron combined to shut down UIC College Prep in a 12-0 victory, Joe Christensen and Mark Moran joined forces to help beat Glenbard South, 6-2.
While the efforts of that quartet on the mound was vital in the Redwings putting their home-field advantage to good use for a second straight year, their offense has been productive.
Thirteen players recorded at least one hit in the 12-0 shutout of UIC College Prep for Benet while it peppered Glenbard South for 10 hits last Saturday.
As he has been doing for much of the year, senior Alex Tassos continues to do nothing but hit. The program’s lone All-ESCC pick enters this week at a .412 clip with four homers and 25 RBI.
“You know who is really swinging the bat well is Tassos,” Lawler said of his third baseman, who leads the team in all three Triple Crown categories. “He’s had three home runs in his last three games and the lineup has come together and gelling. And our team is really gelling right now.”
The challenge now for a suddenly resurgent group of Redwings: trying to find a way to get past a Montini program that’s looking for its first sectional title since 2005.
Jake Rosley leads the Broncos (22-14) with an 8-2 record to go with a 2.03 ERA in 65 2/3 innings and is a “pitcher” in Lawler’s estimation, as he can throw three pitches for strikes.
Last Saturday, the left-handed Rosley went 6 1/3 innings and fanned five in Montini’s 6-1 victory over Elmwood Park in ensuring a second straight regional title under Rich Janor.
“We have a young team,” Janor said. “Most of our starters are either sophomores or juniors and so that bodes well for the future, as well. We’re a team that’s really built on pitching and defense and our hitting has come around here towards the second half of the season.”
The Broncos’ lineup feature five players hitting at least .284 while 10 players have knocked in at least 10 runs.
Alex Luka, who has thrown the third-most innings on the staff behind Rosley and Bruno Bodnum, paces their offense with 27 RBI while Ben Steiner leads all with a .351 average to go with 19 RBI.
“I’m going to say this: whether it’s Mike (Dunn) or Joey or our bullpen right now – in a two-game set – I think we’re really, extremely solid for the sectional,” Lawler said, “and I think we’re going to match up against anybody with the pitchers we’re going to be throwing.”
At St. Francis for 12 years before taking over the Montini program prior to last year, Janor has only matched up with Lawler once.
Montini lost a 3-1 game to Benet in April of 2015 in which Benet peppered Sean Frontzak for three runs on eight hits despite Frontzak recording nine strikeouts.
From what Janor knows about Lawler and Benet, Montini has a healthy dose of respect despite the 14-19 record.
“It appears as though they’ve been playing better in the second half of the season,” Janor said. “We know they’ve got a lot of depth on their roster and that they’re well coached and certainly have talent to compete with anybody.”
After dropping regional finals to Clemente and Fenwick on the road in both 2013 and 2014 and losing to Nazareth in LaGrange Park in 2015, the Redwings are experienced in hostile environments.
In the exact spot they were a year ago – two victories shy of the program’s first sectional title since 1989 – they’re ready to pounce.
“We have the two teams that won back-to-back conference titles that got upset in the regional final and last year’s team got the monkey off its back,” Lawler said. “And I just think that once you do it – no different from going to the summer state – I think once you start achieving things, it becomes easier for the program to achieve.
“What I told the team last year is ‘Hey, guys, yes, I know we lost in the sectional final. But you did a great job of helping the program get there, so it’s easier for the teams in the future.’ So I see this team with their eyes on the prize, so I don’t think there are going to be as many nerves as maybe last year.”
