State baseball: Providence makes history with third straight 4A title – Chicago Tribune
Down by three runs before its first turn at bat and trailing most of the evening, Providence had Mundelein just where the Celtics wanted it.
Playing from behind is nothing unusual for Providence baseball. Neither are state championships.
The Celtics became the first baseball team in the 77-year history of the IHSA state tournament to win three consecutive championships Saturday night, when they scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth and defeated Mundelein 10-3 in the Class 4A final at Silver Cross Field in Joliet.
Jackson Dvorak’s two-run single was the big blow as the first five batters of the inning reached and scored. Relief pitcher Tyler Zarembka earned the three-peat win in Providence’s 21st consecutive postseason victory.
“I don’t know how I’m going to college next year and not play with Jackson Stulas at shortstop, Jimmy (Jeffries) behind the plate,” said Purdue recruit Mike Madej, one of four seniors who played key roles on all three championship teams.
“It is going to be different but I know I’m going to remember these guys for the rest of my life. I don’t think it’s kicked in, the whole history part, but I know in a couple years it is going to be like, wow.”
Making its first appearance in the title game, Mundelein (31-10) capitalized on a Providence error to score three runs in the top of the first.
Brett Parola, coach Todd Parola’s son and one of 18 Mundelein juniors, had the big blow in the inning, a two-run single.
Providence (33-9) got an unearned run back in the top of the first, and the score remained 3-1 until the bottom of the fifth.
Madej drove in the first Providence run with a groundout and made the score 3-2 with an RBI single in the fifth.
After consecutive hit batters tied the score at 3, Dvorak’s two-run single gave Providence the lead for good. The Celtics added four more runs in the sixth.
“I called them up in the fifth inning and said, ‘Look boys, we have not played very well tonight. You are tight and that is not us,’ ” Providence coach Mark Smith said.
” ‘We’ve played loose for 20 consecutive postseason games and now the one you wanted is here. We can’t change our character, we can’t change who we are. Let’s get back to having some fun, let’s be loose and go back to playing the way we’ve played the last three years.’ “
Mike Helfgot is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Player of the game: Mike Madej, Providence, 2-for-4, 3 RBIs.
Key performers: Providence — Tyler Zarembka, win, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 SO; Jackson Dvorak, 2-run single; Jackson Stulas, 3 runs. Mundelein — Brett Parola, 2-run 1B.
Third place: St. Charles North 6, Plainfield North 5
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