Nazareth starting pitcher Michael Prosecky cruised through the first four innings of the Class 3A state semifinals against Morton (IL) on Friday at Route 66 Stadium in Joliet.
Then a few bad breaks arrived in the fifth inning. The Roadrunners weren’t able to recover and lost to the Potters 8-1.
Morton, located near Peoria in central Illinois, will play St. Ignatius in the Class 3A title game on Saturday.
“I just wanted to go at them and try and get the job done,” Prosecky said. “It’s just a couple plays that went their way. That’s baseball, there are some things you can’t control.”
Prosecky shut the Potters down for four innings. Then an infield single and a bunt single in the fifth gave Morton two base runners. Massaglia rallied, striking out the next two hitters before Nick Guerra doubled to center.
“The kids battled and we were one pitch away from getting out of that fifth inning,” Nazareth coach Lee Milano said. “It’s a game of inches and I don’t think we missed the ball by that much in center field.”
Morton scored three runs in fifth inning, one in the sixth and four in the seventh. Starting pitcher Vinni Massaglia was a force for the Potters. He pitched six innings, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out 10 and walking three.
