Shamrocks Fall to Glenbrook South in IHSA Baseball Playoffs
May 27, 2008

The Saint Patrick Shamrocks dropped a heart-breaking 4-3 decision to Glenbrook South in the opening round of the IHSA Class 4A State Baseball Tournament. The Shamrocks jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, only to lose in extra innings.

Titan pitcher, Mike Guinane struggled with his control in the second inning, and the Shamrocks took advantage. Danny Geraghty and Mike Draniczarek drew back-to-back walks. A single by Ryan O’Hayer scored Geraghty, giving the Shamrocks a 1-0 lead. Mike Day walked on four pitches to load the bases and D.J. Stern followed with a two-run single. Leading 3-0, with two men on and only one out, with the heart of the order coming up, the Shamrocks were poised to break the game open, but Eddie Ortiz rolled into an inning-ending double play. Failing to knock Guinane out of the game when they had the chance would come back to haunt the Shamrocks. Guinane settled down, allowing only one hit and two walks over the next seven innings of work.

The Titans broke through in the third inning. Two hits, two walks, and an Ortiz error plated two runs and left the bases loaded with one out. The Titans were set to tie the game, but Shamrock starter Joey Igyarto bore down, striking out the next two hitters to escape with a 3-2 lead.

The Titans threatened to tie the game in the fifth. With runners at second and third and only one out, Jack Curkov lifted a pop fly down the right field line. Shamrock first baseman Mike Draniczarek made a spectacular, over-the-shoulder catch, and wheeled to throw to the plate, but Chris Bielanski didn’t tag up at third. Igyarto struck out the next hitter to get out of the inning.

Glenbrook South tied the game in the sixth inning, when Day made a diving attempt at a fly ball hit by Ryan Schultz, only to come up short, Schultz scampered around to third for a lead-off triple. Mike Schroeder scored Schultz with a sacrifice fly, knocking Igyarto out after 5 2/3 innings of work. Ryan Moskal came on in relief and retired Bielanski to end the inning.

Moskal kept the Shamrocks alive, pitching out of jams in the bottom of both the seventh and eighth innings. In the ninth, singles by Ryan Benz and Curkov and an error by Lenny Cunzalo put runners at first and third with nobody out. With the infield pulled in, Moskal got John Riley to top a ball in front of home plate. O’Hayer leapt out from behind the plate and pounced on the ball, checking the runner back to third, before throwing the ball over Draniczarek’s head, down the right field line, to end the game.

Glenbrook South went on to defeat the #1 seeded Trevians of New Trier for the Regional Championship on Saturday morning.