With the eyes of a huge crowd on him, Providence pitcher Jack Wajda didn’t flinch.
Homewood-Flossmoor had the tying run on second base and the winning run at first base with no outs in the seventh inning Friday afternoon in Flossmoor.
If that weren’t enough pressure, Illinois State recruit Shai Robinson was standing in the batter’s box and Ohio State commit Josh McAlister was lurking in the on-deck circle.
“I love the pressure,” Wajda said. “I thrive under it.”
The 6-foot-3 junior right-hander won’t get an argument from H-F.
Wajda struck out Robinson and got McAlister to hit into a game-ending double play as Providence held on for a 3-2 victory in a Class 4A sectional championship game.
The sixth-seeded Celtics (26-13) advance to play second-seeded O’Fallon — a 6-3 winner over Joliet West — in the Illinois State Supersectional at 7 p.m. Monday in Normal.
“I knew my defense would have my back,” Wajda said. “If I’d execute my pitches, I’d get the outs. I love being a closer. It’s the best.”
Providence coach Mark Smith believes Wajda has the physical and mental tools to excel in that role.
“Jack has a lot of moxie,” Providence coach Mark Smith said. “He has that swagger that you like. You’ve got to have that as a reliever in tight situations.”
Brayden Garrigan contributed an RBI double and Cain Headrick added an RBI single for the Celtics.
For H-F (22-9), Michigan commit Dillon Head went 4-for-4 and scored two runs. McAlister chipped in with an RBI.
Garrigan wasn’t surprised by Wajda’s effectiveness.
“He’s been doing it all year,” Garrigan said. “He’s not afraid to throw on the inside corner. He pounds the strike zone and has an electric breaking ball.
“He likes the pressure, especially in the seventh inning.”
That wasn’t the only tough spot that Wajda avoided serious damage.
He came on in relief of starter Alex Alberico in the fifth inning with runners on second and third base and no outs.
Wajda allowed a run-scoring grounder to Charlie Faoro before getting consecutive fly outs to preserve the 3-2 lead.
However, Garrigan also deserves a lot of credit for limiting the damage by making a fantastic running catch in right-center that ended the inning.
“When the ball is hit that high, I’m going to get it,” Garrigan said. “I get good jumps off the bat.”
Providence right fielder Sebastian Biggs also came up with a web gem, making a diving catch in the third inning that prevented a run from scoring.
“Those catches by Brayden and Biggs were huge,” Smith said.
Wajda allowed two hits and struck out two over three innings to get the save.
Alberico, a junior right-hander, allowed two runs on four hits and struck out three in four innings to earn the win.
“Both pitchers threw their butts off,” Smith said. “Alex struggled early and then settled in. When they got the two runners on in the fifth, we decided to bring in ‘Waj’ in that tough situation.”
Sophomore left-hander Vince Waterman was superb in relief of starter Waylon Deck for the Vikings. Waterman fired three scoreless innings and struck out two.
H-F coach John McCarthy gave credit to Providence.
“They made the plays when it mattered,” McCarthy said. “We just didn’t have that magical inning that we wanted. That’s baseball.”