Baseball: Crystal Lake Central advances to IHSA state semifinals for first time since 2008

SCHAUMBURG – Crystal Lake Central senior Drew Welder slowly shuffled to his right as he tracked down a fly ball in center field at Wintrust Field on Monday night.

But around him, the party already had started before he caught the ball.

Senior shortstop Jaden Obaldo raised both his arms and started jumping toward the mound. Junior pitcher Connor Gibour gave a little fist bump with his mitt to the ground before he turned around for the final out. Senior catcher Sean Kempf just pointed to the sky with his right hand and skipped a couple steps.

[ Photos: Crystal Lake Central defeats DePaul College Prep to wing the Class 3A Schaumburg Supersectional baseball ]

Once Welder made the final out at the Class 3A Schaumburg Supersectional he sprinted to the mound and joined the festivities. Central beat DePaul Prep 5-1 to earn a trip to the state tournament for the first time since 2008.

“We’re on air right now,” Welder said. “It’s amazing.”

Central (20-14) will play Morris in the Class 3A state semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday at Joliet’s Duly Health and Care Field.

The Tigers used another dominant pitching performance and timely hitting to continue a playoff run in which they started as the No. 10 seed in the Class 3A Grayslake Central Sectional.

Junior starter John Gariepy retired nine of the first 11 batters he faced and then got out of a couple jams late to hold on to an early lead.

Gariepy escaped with runners on first and second with two outs in the fourth inning by forcing a lineout to hold on to a 2-0 lead. The Rams got a run off Gariepy in the fifth off a sacrifice fly, but Gariepy got out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out two batters.

He let out a loud scream once he got that final out in the fifth.

“I’m not going to be the reason we get rid of this opportunity,” Gariepy said. “I want to win this for the team, not just for me, everyone that I play with. This is the greatest team I’ve ever played on.”

Gariepy struck out eight batters in five innings, allowing one run on three hits with four walks. Gibour came in and threw two shutout innings to secure the win.

Central coach Caleb Aldridge never doubted Gariepy could get out of those jams.

“He fought his tail off all game long, he worked hard to get ahead and they just competed,” Aldridge said. “He competed, and I’m proud of him.”

The Tigers’ offense had plenty to work with against the Rams. Senior Thomas Korn scored the first run from third base on a wild pitch in the bottom of the second, and Kempf drove in a run on a double that bounced off the left field wall in the third.

Welder broke the game open in the sixth inning when he brought in two runs on a double that was almost caught in left center field. Freshman Wade Ozment made it 5-1 with a single.

“I was having a tough game and I just told myself that I wanted to get a pitch to hit,” Welder said. “I did in a big moment, and it was the greatest feeling ever.”

Monday night felt like a surreal moment for the Tigers as they celebrated on the field. Gariepy said the Tigers never doubted their capabilities at the beginning of the season, but they weren’t sure if they had the right headspace for a new atmosphere with a first-year coach.

Once it all clicked at the beginning of the playoffs with a win over St. Viator, Central knew it was go time.

“We always knew we had the talent and the guys,” Welder said. “Regardless of the seed they put us at, anyone who watches the Tigers knows we love the game and we knew we were capable of this from the start.”

Central will compete for its first state championship in program history when it travels to Joliet this weekend. The Tigers will try to best their fourth-place finish in 2008.

“We’re on air right now. It’s amazing.”

—  Drew Welder, Crystal Lake Central senior

The significance of what the Tigers accomplished Monday night wasn’t lost on them. Neither was what’s left to do.

“We’re all blessed that we’re here and have the opportunity to continue to make history,” Gariepy said. “First it was winning regionals, second it was winning sectionals. Now we just won supers. Now the only thing we have on our path is state.”