Baseball notes: After breakout 2021, Hinsdale Central has run to state in its sights

State tournament or bust.

Hinsdale Central coach Jason Ziemer acknowledged that pressure and high expectations are welcome for his team this season.

The Red Devils had a breakout season last spring, winning 23 of their 27 games, capturing the West Suburban Silver title and a Class 4A regional championship before losing to Brother Rice 6-2 in a sectional final.

The return of several talented seniors, including pitcher Lucas Montesantos, infielder Luke Adams and outfielder Blake Edmonds, raised projections for the Red Devils this season.

Seven games into the season, the Red Devils haven’t wavered from their desire to play in the state tournament. Hinsdale Central (6-1) won its first six games before dropping a 10-4 decision to Oak Park-River Forest on Tuesday.

“We accomplished a lot last year, winning conference and regional for the first time in a while, and I think these guys really have in their heads that they want to go downstate and win a state championship,” Ziemer said. “Everything is in place. We have a talented team and they work hard and play a complete game of baseball, but to win a state championship, you have to get a few breaks. It’s been a fun ride so far.”

Montesantos, the 2021 West Suburban Silver Conference Pitcher of the Year, is on track to top last season’s accomplishments when he finished 6-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 35 innings. Montesantos (4-0) tossed a complete game to lead the Red Devils to a 6-1 victory over Oak Park-River Forest on Monday. He allowed six hits and fanned eight in seven innings.

“Monday was a big test for us,” Ziemer said. “We view Oak Park-River Forest as our top competition in the conference. We hadn’t been tested up to that point. I’m pretty happy where we’re at. It’s still early and we’re trying to feel the guys out.

“Lucas is perfectly prepared for the season. He and the other guys have been looking forward to this season since being eliminated by Brother Rice. It’s hard to exceed last year’s success for him, but if he can replicate last year, I would be thrilled. He’s a competitor. He loves playing the game. I just want him to keep enjoying himself for the next month and a half.”

Adams, a third baseman, and shortstop Ben Oosterbaan have helped solidify the left side of the infield, forming an elite combination at the plate and in the field. Ziemer said the Red Devils are playing well in many aspects of the game, but he noted other intangibles that have factored into their strong start.

“Luke has been really impressive with his defensive work at third base,” Ziemer said. “He’s a very special player. He’s looked really smooth and great. Ben also has played great at shortstop. We’ve been pitching and hitting exceptionally well and our base running has been really good. We put an emphasis on being aggressive. We know we can hit, but we want to be a complete team. You have to run bases and bunt to be successful. But what sets this team apart is the cohesiveness and motivation to win. It’s an incredible group of seniors and juniors who have bought in. The culture of the team is one of the best I’ve ever had.”

Big win for Nazareth going into break

Nazareth and Benet hooked up for a memorable matchup on Tuesday afternoon. The Roadrunners scored three runs but the Redwings answered with three runs in the top of the seventh. Nazareth won the second game of the series on a walk-off single by catcher Sam Wampler in the eighth inning.

The Roadrunners (12-2) bounced back from their seventh-inning collapse to head into an unexpected break in mid-April. Nazareth coach Lee Milano said the victory could serve as a key moment for his young team.

“This was a microcosm of the team,” Milano said. “We play like sophomores at times with a lot of sophomores out there. This was a learning experience. Some of the young kids swing out of their shoes instead of going through and working through the process. There’s a lot to learn from this game. We made a lot of mistakes, but at the end of the day, if you want be an elite team, you have to win games like this.

“We’re now done for the week. We played four games last week and this schedule just worked out of us not playing. We’re practicing on Wednesday indoors and we haven’t had days to practice. We have a lot of things to work on.”

Downers Grove North update

At 3-5-1, Downers Grove North is experiencing the normal highs and lows associated with the spring season. Senior Collin Nuttall is batting .435 with six extra-base hits to lead the team. Senior pitchers Alex White and Jack Miller have led the staff. Both are sporting ERAs under 1.00.

“Our guys have shown some resiliency early on,” Downers Grove North coach Kyle Briscoe said. “We have not swung it well and a lot of guys are battling both mentally and physically to get out of the slump ... but to the guys credit they have stayed positive. Our pitching staff has done a great job keeping us in ball games.”