Lane Falls to Libertyville 2-1 in 4A Super-sectional.

[Preview of this week’s article in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

Lane’s historic season comes to an end. The Champions fell to the Libertyville Wildcats 2-1 in the class 4A Super-sectional game on Tuesday in Schaumburg. The Champions finished the season 33-7; 14-0 in the Chicago Public League.

The super was as close as it gets. The difference was the hitting of Liberyville senior first baseman Bradon Tolzien who drove in both Wildcats’ runs on two doubles to the wall in right.  

In the bottom of the first, Tolzien came up with two outs and leadoff hitter Trevor Wallace on first, Tolzien fought off pitch after pitch, including seven foul balls.

“I knew [Lane starter Ronan Owens] was gonna have to come slider at some point. I was just kept fouling off the fastball. So I was looking for him to hang one. He finally did and I was able to put in the gap,” Tolzien said.

Wallace from first for the first run of the game.

“He had great at bats. We knew he was one of their bigger bats, but we challenged him early. He fouled off like seven or eight pitches. He finally got to one he could handle,” said Lane head coach Sean Freeman of Tolzien’s first inning run-batted-in.

Again, in the bottom of the fifth, Libertyville’s Trevor Wallace singled to lead off the inning. Tolzien come up again but this time facing Champions left-handed pitcher Cruz Warren. After Wallace had advanced to third and two out, Tolzien crushes another double, this time to the right field corner to score Wallace from third.  2-0 Wildcats.

“I knew at 3-1 he had it comes to give me something to hit. So I was sitting on fastball. I got it. I was able to put it [out there,] Tolzien continued.

After Tolzien’s two RBIs, the game was by no means over. Champions’ hurlers Ronan Owens, Cruz Warren and Hunter Smith combined to shut down Libertyville. The Champions rallied with a run in the top of the sixth to make it 2-1. Isaiah Martin scored from third on Zolan Wyatt’s single with one out.

Things looked up for Champions in top of the seventh when Miles Mazonowski crushed a ball to deep left field that looked like it might be a game tying home run but it stayed in the park for a long single.

Libertyville pitcher senior Chase Lockwood recovered. A pinch runner for Mazonowski was caught stealing, and Lockwood retired the side for a complete game with seven hits, one run, one walk and seven strike outs.

“Obviously, Lockwood on the mound did a great job. We had our chances late. Just couldn’t quite get it done. They are a great team and a great program. To be the champs, you gotta beat the champs. They were just a touch better than us tonight,” said Freeman.

“It's the most wins we have had and the farthest we've gone in the state tournament since I've been the head coach. So overall it's been an incredible year. These guys are taking us to new heights and raised the bar yet again. We're getting close and excited that get after it in the next year with the returning kids,” Freeman added.

Lane Tech Falls to Kenwood 10-9 in City Championship

[Preview of this week’s story in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS—The Lane Tech Champions fell to the Kenwood Broncos 10-9 in the Chicago Public League’s city baseball championship on Thursday evening. The Champions dug themselves quite a whole giving up six runs in the top of the first but fought all the way back tying the game in the bottom of the sixth. The miracle comeback was to be. Kenwood’s junior righthander Josiah Patterson slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh. The Broncos are City champs for 2025.

The Broncos came out swinging in the first inning. A single, a hit batsman, another single, still another single, and another and another. Five hits to open the game before the first out was recorded. Champions’ sophomore pitcher Charlie Lust struggled giving up six earned runs on six hits and only recording one out before leaving the game. Junior pitcher Alex Delaney entered the game and walked his first batter. The next batter reached on an error before a merciful double play but an end to the carnage. Champions were down 6-0 before taking a swing.

Strangely, for those who had seen the Champions play this year and for the Champions themselves, everyone knew the game was not over. They can score but would they score enough?

“I expected us to be a little shaky to start, but I hoped we settle into the game a little quicker and we didn't do that,” said Lane Tech manager Sean Freeman.

“But I am super proud of our kids, a lot of kids and teams would have folded under those circumstances and we absolutely did not. We fought our way all the way back and had a chance to wait at the end. So I'm super proud of their effort. While it sucks to lose, it only make us better going forward.”

Fought back they did. One in the bottom of the first, second and third and then two more in the top of the fourth. Except they gave up two runs to Kenwood in the top of the second and another in the top of the fourth.

It was 9-5 with time running out as the Champions came up to bat in the bottom of the sixth. Teo Greco singled, Henry Murray singled. Jacob DeVinney walked. Conor Sullivan singled scoring Greco and Murray. 9-7. After a strike out, sophomore Miles Mazanowski, who struggled at the plate earlier in the game, battled from behind in the count, and laced a single to left scoring two runs to tie the game.

“Miles is a sophomore. It's his first time on varsity. He showed a lot of maturity. He was down 0-2 or 1-2, and he came up with a huge swing. So that says a lot about him in his future. Although he's huge, he's only fifteen, he doesn't turn sixteen till next like October,” Freeman said of Mazanowski.

One must credit the Kenwood Broncos for hanging touch and staying in the game after the long comeback of Lane. The Broncos quickly rallied. The first batter in the top of the seventh, Jimmy Downs crushed a double to deep center field over the head of Nathan Wong. Downs later scored on a clutch two out by senior Brandon Stinson to give the Broncos a 10-9 leading going into the final inning.

“It was very nerve racking,” Kenwood junior right hander Josiah Patterson said of coming back out to pitch in the bottom of the seventh.

Showing a maturity and focus well beyond his years, Patterson held the Champions. “It was just the energy for my team. They picked me up. My mindset just changed. I just hit the spots,” Patterson said.

Lane Tech Defeats Payton 8-3

[Preview of this week’s story in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

The Lane Tech Champions handled the Payton Grizzlies Friday evening 8-3 at Kerry Wood Cubs Field. It was the second time the Champions defeated the Grizzlies last week. The first being Tuesday’s 11-1 win also at Kerry Wood. Freshman righthander Dodger Friedrich was on the mound for the Champions demonstrating a remarkable command of the strike-zone and considerable toughness to work himself through some rough spots.

“I thought he did a great job,” said Lane Tech’s head coach Sean Freeman of his freshman pitcher. Friedrich tossed a seven-inning complete game win giving up three earned runs on five hits, five strike-outs and only one walk. Friedrich had only ninety-one pitches of which seventy were strikes. The fourteen-year-old Friedrich improved his record to 2-1 on the season.

“Obviously, he's got good stuff for his age, but he also throws a lot of strikes. He competes well.  The pitch count was pretty low. He didn't want to come out. So I figured let's see what he is made up and see if you can finish it,” said Freeman.

The Champions helped their freshman hurler by jumping out to an early lead 2-0 lead with two runs on two hits in the top of the first before Friedrich even took the field.

In the top of the second with two out and the bases loaded, Champions’ junior catcher Jacob DeVinney crushed a bases loaded double over the left fielder’s head and off the wall to score three runs giving the Champions a five-run lead early. It would be all their young pitcher would need.

Champions’ second baseman senior Tyler Trapp was three for five with two strike-outs and scored a run improving his team leading batting average to 0.436 and an amazing 0.581 on base percentage. DeVinney had two hits. Alex Ziegler went two for four and scored a run. Zolan Whatt also when two for four and scored two runs. Max Hinojosa when two for four, scored a run and had a run-batted-in.

Friedrich worked himself out of a little trouble in the bottom of the second. Payton’s lead-off hitter junior Nick Linares singled past Lane’s Miles Mazanowski. Friedrich then hit the next batter, Payton’s senior pitcher Nathan Volkens making it first and second with nobody out. Junior Sam Merrill’s sacrifice bunt moved up the runners. Friedrich then struck out Payton’s John Seward looking. Payton’s senior outfielder Augie Rug then singled scoring the two runs. Friedrich got the next batter to end the innings and would finish the game giving up long five hits, on one walk and five strike outs.

The Champions improve their overall record to 11-6. The record is better than it looks. The Champions have only two in-state losses and those in tight games to top teams Mount Carmel and Glenbrook North. The Champions lost four games early in the season against very good out-of-state teams on a trip to a tournament in Alabama over Spring Break.

Lane continues to roll through the Chicago Public League’s Jackie Robinson North Division with a 6-0 record. So far beating Von Stueben twice, Whitney Young twice and Payton twice. Taft, Amundsen, Ogden International and Lincoln Park are still to come.