Combined no-hitter, big fourth inning propel Sages past Comets
May 18—GIBSON CITY — Luke Teschke couldn't help but let out a chuckle when asked how he felt about his removal from Wednesday's Class 2A Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley Regional semifinal baseball game.
The Monticello junior was two outs away from completing a five-inning no-hitter versus Clifton Central. And he held a one-ball, two-strike count on Comets junior Gavin McKee.
Out of the home dugout at GCMS' field walked Sages coach Chris Jones. His mind was focused solely upon Teschke's pitch count.
"It makes it difficult, especially the way he was dealing," Jones said. "But you've got to look at the whole, big-term goal. This allows him, if we need him, to come in on Saturday and pitch."
Second-seeded Monticello will get to play in Saturday's 10 a.m. regional final after trumping seventh-seeded Clifton Central 10-0 in five innings of semifinal action.
"I trusted Spencer (Mitze). I knew he was going to get the job done," Teschke said of the senior hurler who relieved him and recorded the game's final two outs, securing a combined no-hitter for the Sages (21-4).
"When the coaches explained to me I could possibly pitch Saturday, I chilled down a little bit," Teschke continued. "I'm ready to go, and I was OK."
The Illinois State baseball commit was masterful in his 4 1/3 innings tossed against the Comets (20-7-1).
Teschke consistently worked the bottom of the strike zone, getting several swings and misses while also occasionally benefiting from the home plate umpire's zone. Teschke finished with nine strikeouts, the only blemish against him a two-out walk of junior Kyle Gifford in the third inning.
Mitze induced a groundout from McKee before striking out senior Dylan Behrends to end the contest.
"I was just seeing where (the umpire) likes to call it, and I just kept peppering that spot," Teschke said. "We came into practice focused, and we know we have one goal — and that's win the game that needs to be played."
Teschke received all the run support he'd need in the bottom of the first inning.
Senior leadoff hitter Biniam Lienhart began Monticello's afternoon on offense with a walk against Comets senior pitcher Amarion Paxton. Sophomore Matt Swartz followed with a walk of his own.
Paxton settled down to strike out both Teschke and senior Jacob Trusner. But sophomore Colton Vance swatted the first pitch he saw from Paxton into the outfield and drove home Lienhart.
"I just want to get out and then have my guys behind me score me. They did that every time," said Lienhart, who went 0 for 0 on the day with three walks and three runs scored. "I'm fine. As long as I get on base, I'm chilling."
The Sages tacked on two more runs in the third inning. Lienhart again started things with a walk, scoring on a Teschke single. Teschke then displayed heads-up baserunning when he scored from second base on a Vance groundout.
But Monticello fully opened the floodgates in the bottom of the fourth.
After each of the Sages' first three batters reached — on a single, a walk and a fielder's choice that Clifton Central couldn't execute — Lienhart notched his third walk from Paxton to drive in a run.
Swartz then singled home two more runs to chase Paxton. Monticello kept the pressure on freshman reliever Blake Chandler, and the Comets also committed three defensive errors with Chandler on the mound.
Trusner produced a sacrifice fly and sophomore Eli Craft doubled in a run on the back end of the Sages' seven-run inning.
"They did a good job. They came in prepared to play," Jones said of his athletes. "It helps having seven seniors on the team, and the senior leadership, they got them ready to go."
Paxton provided most of the Comets' highlights on an otherwise down day for coach Brian Kohn's crew.
The future Kankakee Community College baseball player struck out four Monticello batters, and he also cut down senior Logan Chupp attempting to score from third base on a flyout after Paxton was moved to center field.
Kohn praised Paxton afterward, as well as Teschke.
"Just his command (was strong)," Kohn said of Teschke. "I heard the radio guy talking, saying he didn't have a good outing (last) Wednesday, but he didn't show that at all. He stayed poised and beat the strike zone up."
The Sages will meet a familiar opponent back in Gibson City on Saturday morning. Two of their Illini Prairie Conference rivals are scheduled to duke it out in Thursday's second regional semifinal. Monticello owns a 4-3 win this season over third-seeded Unity (23-8-1) but suffered an 8-3 loss to fifth-seeded Paxton-Buckley-Loda (15-13-1) during league play.
Regardless if they draw the Rockets or Panthers, the Sages will attempt to win a regional plaque for the second consecutive season.
"I don't think we care who we face," Lienhart said, "but, at the same time, we lost to PBL. So I think we want that one back. Again, whoever we play, I think we're just going out there one game at a time."
