It wasn’t exactly a front row view, but Ryan Willett still had a good vantage point from center field as Richards starter Angelo Smith went to work against Oak Forest.
Willett enjoyed what he saw from the sophomore southpaw.
“It’s amazing having him on the mound,” Willett said. “I’m in center just watching everything go down the strike zone. It’s great. I love staying in his ear. He’s like my little brother.”
Smith was on fire on a cold and rainy Wednesday afternoon. He allowed two hits and fanned nine as Richards thumped Oak Forest 6-1 in a South Suburban crossover.
“This isn’t my kind of weather,” Smith said. “I like it hot, warm, some sun. Good thing my fastball and two-seam were working for me.”
Smith also had an early lead working for him.
The speedy Willett, a standout wide receiver, scored on a wild pitch after reaching base on an infield single. Chris Zeschke than knocked in Brett Thomas on a groundout as Richards (19-13, 14-5) took a 2-0 lead before Smith ever took the mound.
“I just wanted to put the ball in play,” said Willet, who went 3-for-4 and added an RBI double in the sixth. “Coach (Brian Wujcik) has been telling me to just put it in play, hit it hard somewhere, and that’s what I was able to do.”
Smith carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning until pinch-hitter Dan Gordon notched an infield single for Oak Forest (22-9, 15-3). Gordon took second and third on wild pitches and made it home on a throwing error to cut Richards’ lead to 3-1.
But that was about all the offense Oak Forest’s lineup could summon. Smith allowed one hit over the final nine outs while picking up four strikeouts.
“We weren’t quite sure what to expect out of Smitty because this isn’t his weather,” Wujcik said. “He likes it about 20 degrees warmer, but he was focused and dealing early. He was blowing the fastball by them and then started mixing in the breaking ball. He was in control all game.”
The top of Richards’ lineup wasn’t too shabby, either. Willett, Thomas and Noel Castro combined to go 8-for-12 and score four runs.
For Oak Forest, it was a missed opportunity. A win would have given the Bengals the South Suburban Blue championship outright. Instead, Oak Forest has one more shot Friday against Tinley Park. A loss from Lemont would also clinch an Oak Forest title.
“You can’t just come out and stick your glove out there and think you’re conference champs,” Oak Forest coach Ron Czarnecki said. “I’m not taking anything away from (Smith), but he threw a majority of fastballs and we’re a fastball-hitting team. When you’re not ready to play, that’s what happens.”
Andrew Dominik added a double for Oak Forest.
Richards, which is playing for second in the South Suburban Red behind champion Shepard, received an RBI from Mitch Crook and runs from Andrew Calderon and Nick Fritz.
Baseball
Lemont 4, Bremen 2: Nate Madej (13 strikeouts) allowed one hit over six scoreless innings to pace Lemont (17-11, 15-4 SSC Blue).
T.F. South 9, Crete-Monee 1: Lou Reynolds (run) went 2-for-4 with three RBIs for T.F. South (16-15). Jeremy Urdiales scattered five hits in pitching a complete game for the Rebels.
Joliet West 2, Homewood-Flossmoor 1: James Sheehan (earned run, 6 strikeouts) gave up five hits in going the distance for Homewood-Flossmoor (20-7, 10-3 SouthWest Suburban Blue).
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Marian Catholic 4, Illiana Christian 2: Lavezz Middleton (2-for-2) scored two runs and Matt Mulhearn (earned run) tossed a four-hitter to propel Marian Catholic (17-12-1).
Providence 13, Brother Rice 6: Matt Waznis went 3-for-5 with four RBIs to guide Providence (23-10) in the second round of the Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament. Jack Ridgway (1-for-4) had a pair of RBIs for Brother Rice (24-9).
Joliet Catholic 7, Benet 1: Nick Dalesandro (4 hits allowed) struck out 11 over six innings and also went 2-for-4 with a run and three RBIs for Joliet Catholic (26-6-1, 15-3 East Suburban Catholic). Jack Howard added a two-run single for the Hilltoppers.
De La Salle 11, Montini 7: Josh Figueroa and Tom Duddleton each contributed three hits and two RBIs for De La Salle (17-14) at Benedictine.
Softball
Lincoln-Way Central 19, Marian Catholic 10: Abigail Baez (3-for-4, double, 3 runs) hit two homers and totaled four RBIs to power Lincoln-Way Central (23-10). Gabi Angellotti belted a three-run homer for Marian Catholic (23-8).
Lemont 6, T.F. South 3: Lisa Jaworski was 2-for-3 with three RBIs to steer Lemont (19-10, 12-6) in the South Suburban Blue. Maddy Vermejan (3-for-3, run) added a double, triple and two RBIs for the Indians.
Illiana Christian 11, Bowen 0: Heather Wiltjer (14 strikeouts) threw a no-hitter for Illiana Christian (12-14) in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Beecher. Her twin sister, Ashley, went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs.
Girls Soccer
Stagg 4, Homewood-Flossmoor 1: Anna Christensen netted a pair of goals to lead Stagg (18-3) into the Class 3A regional final at Lincoln-Way East.
Lincoln-Way East 4, Bloom 1: Hanna Dawczak provided two goals and an assist for Lincoln-Way East (13-9-2).
Lincoln-Way West 7, Yorkville 1: Natalie Tannura had two goals and three assists for Lincoln-Way West (15-7-1) in the semifinal of its own Class 2A regional. Meghann Lange (goal) added two assists for the Warriors.
Marian Catholic 1, Illiana Christian 0 (OT): Adriana Garcia scored and Allyson Brooks made five saves to lift Marian Catholic (4-13-3) in the Class 2A regional semifinal at Rich East.
Oak Forest 9, Morgan Park 0: Rachel Valente (assist) and Alyssa Gilman scored three goals apiece for host Oak Forest (11-10-1) in the Class 2A regional semifinal.
Boys Volleyball
Lockport 26-25, Joliet West 24-18: Anthony Pfeiffer chalked up 11 assists and six kills for Lockport (28-5, 8-3 SWSC Blue).
College Baseball
NCCAA World Series: Kyle Belluomini smashed an RBI double for Trinity Christian (28-26), which lost 14-1 to Lee (Tenn.) in the opening round of the tournament involving schools from the National Christian College Athletic Association.
Malloy is a freelance reporter. Freelancer Josh Krockey contributed to this story.