During last season’s run to a Class 4A sectional championship game, Oswego used Eddie Scaccia exclusively in a relief role.
As a senior, however, Scaccia has emerged as the Panthers’ No. 1 starter, earning pitcher of the year honors from the Southwest Prairie West.
“I like the transition,” Scaccia said. “I like controlling the game. I feel like it’s on me.”
Scaccia took the ball Wednesday in a Neuqua Valley Regional semifinal game against West Aurora and performed like an ace once again.
The right-hander pitched a one-hit complete game for the Panthers in a 7-0 victory over the Blackhawks. He struck out eight and scattered four walks.
Chase Gerwig went 3-for-3 with two runs and a steal for Oswego (24-11), which advanced to play Neuqua or Romeoville at 10 a.m. Saturday for the regional title. Trey Hernandez went 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBIs.
Ryan Niedzwiedz had the only hit for West Aurora (12-19).
In the top of the first, Scaccia allowed a one-out hit to Niedzwiedz, who was caught stealing to end the inning. The only time the Blackhawks had two runners on came via a pair of two-out walks in the seventh.
“When he’s going, he’s tough to hit,” Oswego coach Joe Giarrante said of Scaccia. “He showed that (Wednesday). He commanded a lot of pitches.
“He got into some deep counts that we don’t like to see, but overall he pitched his butt off. He did a great job and put us in a good position to win a baseball game.”
Gerwig led off the bottom of the first with a single and was singled in by Hernandez to give the Panthers the quick lead.
“I think that first run was huge,” Giarrante said. “Settled the guys down.”
The Panthers then loaded the bases with nobody out in the third and all three runners came around to score, giving Scaccia a 4-0 cushion.
“It makes me more confidence, knowing if a guy gets a hit, I have them to back me up,” Scaccia said. “They always have my back. It was less stressful and definitely helped me settle down.”
With that big lead and Scaccia on top of his game, West Aurora coach John Reeves knew a comeback would be difficult.
“We sometimes struggle to score runs anyway,” Reeves said. “Once they got up four runs with that guy on the mound, that’s a pretty big lead to come back from.”
With the wind howling in from center, the Panthers pieced together their offense. Four of their runs scored on wild pitches and two scored on sacrifice flies.
“We did enough to get seven runs,” Giarrante said.
Scaccia emptied the tank, throwing 108 pitches in his first complete game of the season.
“He saved a lot of arms for us out of the bullpen,” Giarrante said. “Which helps when you have to face the tough opponent that we’re going to see next.”
The performance was the culmination of a springtime buildup for Scaccia.
“He didn’t get off to a quick start to the season, but he’s really settled in,” Giarrante said. “He’s worked his pitch count up. Hopefully he’s stronger for us moving forward.”
Scaccia will cheer from the bench Saturday, hoping his teammates give him a chance to get back on the mound at least one more time this season.
“It feels good to come back out here and help my team the best I could,” Scaccia said. “It means a lot to me because last year we had a big run.
“I just want to help my team get back there and hope we do better than we did last year.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.