Elmhurst Sports Report

York summer baseball team finishes season strong

Dukes advance to state regional semifinals.

By Mike Miazga

Correspondent

The York summer baseball team went on a hot streak at a perfect juncture in the season.

The Dukes advanced all the way to the semifinals of the Fenwick regional. During the summer, regional winners advance to the state finals.

York opened the Phil Lawler Summer Classic state tournament with an 11-10 win over Glenbard East.

York, which had 16 hits in the game, led 2-0 in the first inning but found itself down 5-2 in the third inning. The Dukes tied the game at 5-5 after the fourth inning. However, Glenbard East again distanced itself from the Dukes with five runs in the sixth inning to go up 10-5. York scored three runs in its half of the sixth to cut the lead to 10-8 and then scored three runs in the seventh inning to win the game.

Ian Steinorth went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, a double and an RBI for York. Andrew Deardurff went 1-for-4 with three runs scored and a stolen base. Nick Lee was 3-for-5 with a run scored and two RBI. Mike Bernal was 2-for-3 with three RBI, two walks, two stolen bases and a double. Ryan Ross was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Joey Chiappetta went 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBI. Joey Jaeger went 4-for-4 with three runs scored.

Scott Tucker was the winning pitcher. He went 1 2/3 innings in relief late in the game and fanned one. He allowed no hits. Burke Corcoran started and pitched three innings. He struck out two. Austin Gelsomino pitched 2 1/3 innings and struck out three.

York then recorded a 7-5 win over Maine West in the second round of the regional. York had eight hits in the contest.

Maine West led 1-0 after the first inning, but York quickly recovered to score five runs in the second inning and two more in the third inning to take a comfortable 7-1 lead.

Deardurff went 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Lee was 1-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI. Bernal went 1-for-3. Chiappetta went 1-for-2 with two runs scored.

Zach Pflum went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and two RBI. Mike Pastuovic went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBI. Pflum and Pastuovic, the team’s eighth and ninth hitters in the game, went a combined 4-for-6 with three doubles, a triple, three runs scored and four RBI.

Jake Hadawi was the winning pitcher. He went six innings and allowed four hits and one earned run while striking out five. Pflum pitched one inning and struck out one.

With the win, York advanced to the regional semifinals where it lost 6-4 to Lyons Township. York had six hits in the game and made three errors.

The Dukes held a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the third, but Lyons scored three runs in the bottom of the third. York scored a run in the fourth to tie the game, but Lyons came right back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth for what turned out to be the final margin.

Deardurff went 2-for-3 with a stolen base. Lee had a run scored and an RBI. Ross went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and an RBI. Pflum went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a double. Pastuovic went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Steinorth had a stolen base.

Pflum took the loss. He threw two innings. Tucker went the first three innings and had one strikeout. Charles Pakenas pitched an inning and struck out two.

York finished the summer season 9-8-1. Lyons Township ended up downing Oak Park-River Forest 5-3 in the regional title game. Oak Park-River Forest advanced to the regional final with a 6-4 win over Willowbrook, meaning the regional semifinals featured four teams from the West Suburban Conference.