Baseball: Chase Gerwig, Oswego come back once again in last at-bat against Plainfield North

OSWEGO – Chase Gerwig did not offer a grand explanation for Oswego’s two big comebacks against Plainfield North this week.

It’s just about putting bat on ball.

“We know if we put the ball in play, we’re going to do some good things on the bases,” said Gerwig, an Oswego junior. “Just keep battling, put pressure on the defense.”

For the second time in four days, the Panthers came up big in their last at-bat. Gerwig had the go-ahead run-scoring single in a four-run bottom of the sixth to erase a one-run deficit, and the Panthers hung on for a 5-4 win in Thursday’s rubber game of a three-game Southwest Prairie Conference West Division series.

Oswego (9-9, 2-4 SPC West) in Monday’s opener scored seven runs in the bottom of the seven to erase a 7-0 deficit, and won it, 8-7, in the eighth.

Gerwig scored the game-winner in that one, on a hit by Trey Hernandez. On Thursday, it was Hernandez’s leadoff single that started the winning rally with Oswego trailing 2-1. Troy Vosburgh followed with a double to bring home Hernandez to tie it.

With the bases loaded and one out, Gerwig took a close pitch on 0-2, then reached out and flared a single to center, bringing home the go-ahead run.

“Chase, he’s one of the biggest competitors we have on the team,” Oswego coach Joe Giarrante said. “He’s learning a lot in a short time with varsity baseball. He’s been a staple in our lineup since we got back from our Edwardsville trip.”

Two more Oswego runs came in on a Michael Penzone single and Joel Johnson RBI fielder’s choice.

For Plainfield North (10-8, 3-3), the scenario was all too familiar. The Tigers have lost seven games in the sixth and seventh innings this season. Plainfield North starter Kash Koslowski allowed only two hits over five innings, striking out five, in dueling with Oswego’s Joey Cecola, but the Tigers’ bullpen couldn’t hold the lead.

“Our bullpen has not been good. We can’t get guys out,” Plainfield North coach John Darlington said. “Our guys that have started have been good all year. Unfortunately, they can’t throw 150 pitches. You get to the 80 or 90-pitch mark, you have to figure something out. Somebody else has to come in and get people out. We haven’t done that yet.”

The Tigers nearly had their own late magic in their last at-bat.

The first four batters reached in the seventh on three walks and an error, John St. Clair’s bases-loaded walk drawing Plainfield North within 5-3.

With three left-handed hitters due, Giarrante summoned lefty Bryson Mello – until this week, a starting pitcher. Mello coaxed three straight fly balls to Gerwig in center, the third a running catch for the final out.

“Have to give Bryson credit,” Giarrante said. “He’s been a starter all year, I told him this week he was going to the bullpen to give him a little rest because he’s thrown a lot. He was put into a tough situation, he did enough to keep them off balance.”

Until the back-and-forth drama of the final two innings, the two left-handed starting pitchers ruled the day.

Koslowski allowed only Hernandez’s RBI single in the third that scored Gerwig, giving Oswego a 1-0 lead. Cecola, an Illinois-Springfield recruit, was even more dominant. Cecola struck out 12 and allowed only four singles through five shutout innings.

“Fastball command was definitely there, mixing pitches, changeup was also big, curveball was also there,” Cecola said. “This win is huge, gives us a lot of confidence going into the next few weeks.”

Plainfield North finally scratched across two runs off Cecola in the sixth for a 2-1 lead, the tying run coming in on Brandon Bak’s RBI single. But Oswego’s big bottom half of the sixth gave Cecola the well-earned win.

“Joey’s been very productive for us on the mound,” Giarrante said. “He’s really come a long way, trusting his pitches. You can tell he’s getting confident. That’s what we need out of him. Lotta respect for John and his program. It’s two good wins this week.”