Evan Bohr isn’t the most vocal player for Aurora Central Catholic, but he’s still a leader.
A three-year starter, the senior shortstop knows when he sets a tone, people follow.
“Being a senior on the team, the whole team looks up to you,” said Bohr, who also dabbles as a relief pitcher. “Once you get the show started, other people will pitch in.”
Bohr pitched in Friday both at the plate and on the mound against Aurora Christian.
During a one-run scenario in the sixth inning, he started a three-run burst with a double to provide some insurance. Then, in only his third pitching outing of the season, he allowed three runs in the top of the seventh but ended the game with a strikeout for a 5-4 win.
Sam Carroll singled, stole a base and scored two runs for ACC (16-10, 6-6). Bohr also scored a run and earned the two-inning save. Carson Bailey worked five innings for the win, while Brodie Curry added an RBI double.
Ryan Jones had two hits, scored a run and drove in a run for Aurora Christian (18-9, 8-5). Diego Huerta doubled in a run.
With the Chargers up 2-1, Bohr battled through the rain and led off the bottom of the sixth with a double.
“I think that woke us up — and them,” ACC coach Rich Swann said. “I think they were like, ‘Hey, we can play in the rain.’ Evan is a really good player for us. He’s been a leader all year, our three hitter. He’s a good kid.
“We kind of try to feed off him a little bit. He’s not the most outspoken kid we have on the team, but I think the kids follow his example a lot.”
Bohr scored after beating out a throw to the plate. Curry doubled in Carroll and scored on a sacrifice fly, giving the Chargers a 5-1 lead.
Bohr had already tossed a scoreless inning of relief going into the seventh. Aurora Christian put a scare into ACC, however.
Dominic Savini led off with a pinch-hit single. Jones then hit an RBI double and scored on Conner Kendall’s groundout. Adan Rocha was then hit with a pitch and was doubled in by Huerta.
Bohr came up with the strikeout to end it, though.
“I was thinking, ‘Just throw strikes, let them hit it,'” Bohr said. “It was awesome. I got scared for a second there, but I came through.”
Swann said he was lining up his pitching staff for the upcoming postseason, so he turned to the likes of Bailey and Bohr to eat up some innings Friday.
“This was our fourth game this week, so it was like, ‘Who’s here? Who can throw?'” Swann said. “Carson did a really good job. He’s been good for us. He throws strikes. He doesn’t walk people.
“You have a chance when that happens.”
Aurora Christian was held scoreless in the first four innings before slowly getting the bats going near the end of the game.
“We’ve struggled with guys that throw the junk a little bit more,” Aurora Christian coach Andy Zorger said. “Our approach, I feel, was not good in terms of we were flying open and pulling off instead of trying to hit the ball the other way. We finally figured it out too late at the end.
“It’s a humbling game. It’s better (Friday) than next Wednesday in the regional.”
Despite Bohr’s lack of experience on the mound, Swann turned to the Wisconsin-Platteville recruit in a big spot, knowing he can trust his senior veteran to close it out.
“He got the job done,” Swann said of Bohr. “At the end, when he had to, he did. I’m proud of him.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.