‘Money player’ Cooper Malamazian and Nazareth beat Grayslake Central to win a second consecutive Class 3A state title

Cooper Malamazian closed out Nazareth’s Class 3A state-championship win last season. After the last out, he tossed his glove a few feet into the air in celebration.

A year later, Malamazian, a junior, found himself in the same position. He was on the mound, tasked with getting the final outs for the Roadrunners. It’s something he yearned for earlier Saturday.

“I told [Nazareth coach Lee Milano] that I wanted to close this game down,” Malamazian said. “Last year I closed it and threw my hat pretty high. I had to beat last year. You can’t be boring.”

Malamazian definitely beat last year, tossing his hat a good 10 to 20 feet into the sky after a 6-4-3 double play clinched Nazareth’s 7-2 victory against Grayslake Central at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.

“At the end of the game, we had to go to Cooper because he is not going to be fazed in any situation,’’ Milano said. “[When Malamazian was a freshman], I said he would walk out of here as the best shortstop we ever had. That’s not an insult to anybody we’ve had come through here. Cooper is a different player. He is a money player.”

Nazareth (34-6) won its second consecutive title while starting only two seniors, center fielder Lucas Smith and pitcher Finn O’Meara.

O’Meara went 3⅓ innings, allowing two hits and no runs. He struck out four and walked four. Malamazian pitched the last two innings, allowing one hit and no runs. He also made a leaping grab of a line drive while at shortstop. The catch resulted in a crucial double play.

That fielding gem helped David Cox get out of a jam in the fourth inning.

“It gives you all the confidence, having full faith in your defense,” Cox said. “I can always trust them to make the plays.”

Cox, a 6-4 junior, had the highlight moment of the game (and of the two-day state finals). He blasted a gorgeous home run deep to left in the sixth inning.

“It was the best feeling in the world,” Cox said. “I always dreamed of that, and it finally happened. It was a great way to end the state tournament.”

“I think it’s still going,” Milano said. “That probably had to be close to 380 feet. He hit that ball a long way.”

Nazareth led 6-0 after four innings. The Rams (33-8) made things interesting, scoring runs in the fifth and sixth with multiple baserunners in both innings.

“[Grayslake Central] put a lot of fight up; give them credit,” Milano said. “We talked about getting punched in the gut and responding, not reacting. Our kids are pretty battle-tested. We’ve been here, and we’ve been through it.”

Rams starting pitcher Chris Rodgers lasted only 1⅔ innings, allowing three runs and two hits. He walked six and struck out one.

Nazareth freshman second baseman Landon Thome, Jim Thome’s son, was hitless in the title game but was a major offensive contributor all season and in the semifinal game on Friday.

“This is a great group,” Thome said. “These guys have really taught me about life, getting in gear. It’s really helped me these two games.”

Sycamore beat Effingham 2-1 in nine innings to win third place in Class 3A.