IHSA Class 3A Baseball State Tournament: Crystal Lake Central beats Morris 5-2 to advance to championship

JOLIET – The first two innings Crystal Lake Central and Morris played looked ominous for the Tigers.

Morris starter Brett Bounds breezed through two innings on 14 pitches. The Tigers’ Rhett Ozment battled through 41 pitches and stranded two runners in each inning.

The game took a dramatic turn in the top of the third inning, however, as Central rapped out six hits and scored four runs. In the bottom half of the third, center fielder Drew Welder laid out with his back to home plate to rob Morris’ Jack Wheeler of extra bases and, ultimately, save a run.

It soon became apparent that it was Central’s day.

The Tigers were flawless in the field, opportunistic at the plate and stubborn on the mound in beating Morris 5-2 on Friday in their Class 3A state semifinal at Duly Health and Care Field.

Central (21-14) takes its 12-game winning streak into Saturday’s 1 p.m. championship against Lemont (31-9). Morris (29-4) plays Highland (32-7-1) for third place at 10 a.m.

“It’s pretty cool. This is why you play the game, right?” Central first-year coach Cal Aldridge said. “You play the game to build relationships, create a family bond, which these guys have done all year long, and you get lucky a couple times and you get to play in one like this.

“We have worked our tail off all year long. I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve done. We’ve made history at Crystal Lake Central, and hopefully we can add to that history.”

The Tigers may play the championship without cleanup hitter and closer Connor Gibour, who suffered a left shoulder injury on the last play of the third inning and left the game.

Gibour left the park and was examined at a hospital during the game. Aldridge did not know his status for Saturday.

No. 9 hitter Carter Kelley started the third-inning rally with a single, ahead of Jaden Obaldo being hit by a pitch and James Dreher dropping a bunt that went for a hit.

Sean Kempf singled in two runs, and both runners advanced on a passed ball and scored on Gibour’s single. Kempf, the Tigers’ leading RBI producer, thought of the advice of assistant coach Jeff Aldridge, Cal’s father, as he approached that key at-bat.

“It was a special feeling. I keep thinking of what his dad says, ‘Poise, and stay within you,’ " Kempf said. “That’s what I did.”

In the bottom of the third, Welder robbed Morris of a run when he ran down Wheeler’s shot to center.

“That ball was hit on a laser,” Welder said. “I just went for it, took a chance and made an athletic play. We kind of make them all the time. It was really fun, a great feeling.”

Ozment threw five innings and allowed two earned runs while leaving eight men on base. Kelley, who moved from left field to right field after Gibour was hurt, made another sensational catch in the fifth, taking a probable triple away from Cody DelFavero.

“I trust my fielders. These are my guys. I love my team,” Ozment said. “I’m able to step on the mound with confidence. I got the best defense in the state behind me, and they allow me to go on the mound with a clear mindset and just throw.

“There’s always great catches out there. These guys are crazy athletic.”

Bounds (8-1) had a 1.15 ERA coming into the game and did not have a loss. Morris coach Todd Kein could only laud Central for its efforts.

“Brett’s done well for us all year,” Kein said. “Sometimes a hard-hit ball here and a hard-hit ball there can throw some things off. They had an inning that reminded me of us all year. They had kind of a contagious inning.

“You have to give them credit because they did it against a very good pitcher. Coming into today nobody had beaten him. For them to do that against a pitcher that has been flat-out dominant all year is something you tip your cap to.”

Tigers senior Tommy Korn, who had not pitched since May 11, assumed Gibour’s closer role. Korn coolly stepped onto the mound for the biggest appearance of his career and retired six of the seven batters he faced.

“Don’t be scared of anybody,” Korn said. “Go straight at them. Know what you have and know that you can compete with anybody.”

Central has allowed more than two runs in only one of its past eight games. In their six postseason games, the Tigers have made five errors.

“Drew made that outstanding catch in center and Carter made that outstanding catch in right-center,” Aldridge said. “Every day in batting practice, we buy into going out and making a play, every time you have the opportunity. They have fully bought into that.

“Our pitchers, Rhett and Tommy, did well, and our infielders made plays. It was special. It was a special day for Crystal Lake Central.”