Connor Gurnik’s lineup switch could be a cameo, or it could be for good.
His bat doesn’t seem to care.
The Naperville Central senior shortstop hit leadoff the last two seasons, but dropped to third this summer.
Regardless, his bat has sizzled. Gurnik’s single sparked a four-run third-inning rally in Central’s 7-6 win over Plainfield East in Wednesday’s Hinsdale South Regional semifinal.
Naperville Central, in a regional final for the first time since 2011, advances to play Metea Valley at 1 p.m. Thursday. The Mustangs, who eliminated Central last year, beat Hinsdale Central 3-2 in Wednesday’s second semifinal.
Gurnik finished his spring with a flourish, and is picking up right where he left off, albeit in a new spot.
“Obviously it’s a better opportunity for me for runs batted in, but I’m just going out there with the same approach,” said Gurnik, a Cal Poly recruit. “Get on base and get hits. Nothing different.”
Gurnik was 2-for-3, reaching base three times.
On Tuesday, his two-run double was the key hit in Central’s win over Neuqua Valley.
“(Hitting Gurnik third) is something we’re playing around with,” Central coach Mike Stock said. “I want to see Connor bat as often as we can, but I also want to see him bat as often as possible with guys on base.”
Central didn’t need many hits to break through against Plainfield East.
Gurnik lined a single to lead off the third inning with Central trailing 2-1. He scored on a wild pitch — all four Central runs in the third came on wild pitches — while the Redhawks also drew three walks.
Central pitchers Nick Rietz and Blake McClung made the lead stand with help from their defense. The Redhawks turned a double play in the first inning, right fielder Josh Boomgarden doubled off a runner in the third and Jack Hughes cut down a runner attempting a steal in the fifth.
McClung, who relieved Rietz in the fifth, ended the game when he coaxed a swinging strikeout with the tying run on second.
“All I was thinking was throwing strikes,” McClung said. “I know I have a great defense that makes the plays.”
McClung and Rietz, both seniors, combined to throw just 14 innings in the spring.
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“We had some depth in the spring,” Stock said. “It’s their turn. They did a great job of limiting the damage.”
Metea, which graduated eight seniors, also had some new players come through.
Junior Andrew Cronin threw five shutout innings, striking out four. Cronin, who was promoted for the IHSA playoffs as a pinch runner, stepped in and out of trouble throughout his start.
Hinsdale Central had multiple base runners in four of five innings, but Cronin stranded eight.
“Our defense was spectacular behind me,” Cronin said. “I have to give a big thank you to them, because I didn’t have a ton of strikeouts.”
With Metea leading 3-1, Hinsdale’s first two batters of the seventh reached base. On an ensuing single, Cronin, playing right field, fired to junior shortstop Carter Wardell, who nailed the runner at the plate.
Underclassmen also keyed Metea’s offense. Sophomore Payton Thorne walked and singled his first two at-bats, and scored both times. Junior Daniel Zorn doubled home Metea’s third run.
“We have a lot of new faces out there, and a lot of kids doing good things,” Metea coach Craig Tomczak said. “Andrew Cronin is a kid we heard a lot of good things about us last year. He just competes.”
Joshua Welge is a freelance writer for the Naperville Sun.