As a slim guy who wears glasses and also plays soccer and bowls, senior second baseman Steven Hebel knows he does not look like a typical No. 3 hitter.
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But he still occupies that spot in Oak Lawn’s lineup.
“That’s been my thing since day one,” Hebel said. “I don’t look like I can play baseball and it kind of works in my favor sometimes. I might get a little more leeway from pitchers who look at me and are like, ‘I don’t think this guy can hit.’
“I see the way teams sometimes shift against me. They might bring people in. I like to prove them wrong.”
That’s exactly what Hebel did Wednesday, coming up with a big two-run single as part of a four-run seventh inning for Oak Lawn, which rallied to earn a 6-6 tie with host Mount Carmel.
The game was called after seven innings due to darkness.
Hebel’s hit pulled the Spartans (9-4-1) within 6-5 before an error tied the game.
Mount Carmel (14-4-1) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but reliever Nate Coghill got out of the jam for the Spartans and the umpires decided to end the game before extra innings.
It was an impressive comeback for Oak Lawn, which felt it had something to prove against a Catholic League power.
“We know teams like this are looking down on the name Oak Lawn,” Hebel said. “History is history, but today is a new day and in a game like this, we have to come out and show these teams what we can do.”
Hebel is hitting .457 this season. Just as important, he has been a valuable leader as the only senior who’s a regular starter on a young team.
He also has some experience in that area. He was a captain on both the soccer and bowling teams this school year.
“That definitely helps,” he said. “I’ve been a captain before and know what it’s like. In soccer, I was always in the back, seeing what was going on and setting everyone up.
“That kind of background is helping me get everyone in check and in position here.”
Oak Lawn coach William Gerny feels Hebel plays a vital role.
“Steven’s the kind of person you want everyone to follow,” Gerny said. “He’s very positive all the time and always ready to go, always happy to be here.
“He deserves good things to happen and I’m glad they are for him.”
Senior catcher Colin Horneman had the big blast in a three-run third inning for Mount Carmel, ripping a two-run double to right-center.
Horneman is leading the Caravan in RBIs.
“I was just sitting fastball,” Horneman said. “I knew he was going curveball first pitch so I watched that. Next pitch, I was sitting fastball, got it and took it the other way.
“That’s basically what I do — hunt the fastball and try to get it early on, not get too deep into the count. I think it boosts up the team a lot, seeing the ball get hit in the air and into the gaps. It brings energy to the dugout.”
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Brandon Rogers had two singles and drove in a pair of runs for Mount Carmel, which led 5-0 after five innings.
Oak Lawn got a pair of runs back in the sixth before the outburst in the seventh. John Marchetti led off that inning with a pinch-hit double to start the comeback.
“This was definitely not how we wanted it to go, but it happens,” Horneman said. “It’s baseball. We know we need to get on teams early going forward, get a lead and then play good defense and not give up walks.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.