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Sports

OPRF Baseball Stays Hot To Capture Regional Championship

Brennan-Picchiotti battery powers Huskies past De La Salle 7-1 in title game.

Oak Park-River Forest senior pitcher P.J. Brennan was doused with what was left in the water cooler in a sneak attack by teammates following Saturday’s baseball game.

It’s the only thing that cooled any of the Huskies in the Class 4A OPRF regional. The fourth-seeded host completed a dominating run through the regional with a 7-1 title-game triumph over No. 5 seed De La Salle.

OPRF (28-9) outscored its two regional opponents 17-1.

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“We’re playing great right now,” said Huskies junior catcher Jack Picchiotti, who belted a three-run homer and drove in four runs on the day. “We’re right where we got to be.”

The Huskies didn’t waste any time picking up where they left off in Friday’s 10-0 semifinal win against Proviso East, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning against De La Salle (19-15).

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Meteors pitcher Anthony Shimkus hit leadoff batter Frank Picchiotti and then threw a wild pickoff attempt to first base to allow him to reach second. Picchiotti moved to third on Zach Weigel’s bunt hit and scored on Jack Picchiotti’s sacrifice fly. After Mike Brennan walked, Alec Jeffries drove a two-run triple to deep center to put the home team up 3-0.

OPRF made it 4-0 in the second inning on Tim Sutton’s towering home run that bounced on top of the fence and over it.

De La Salle’s only run came in the third when Matt Ramirez led off with a misplayed double, took third on Jabori Brown’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Ro Coleman’s infield hit.

After that, Brennan retired nine consecutive batters en route to his fifth-straight, complete-game victory. The right-hander received strong defensive support, including a diving stop by second baseman Eric Cybulski and a sliding catch by left fielder Frank Picchiotti.

Brennan finished with a five-hitter. He walked one and struck out six while improving to 6-3.

“He did great,” Jack Picchiotti said. “He was locating really good. Nobody hit his changeup. He threw it for, I think, four strikeouts.”

“He’s pounding the strike zone,” Huskies coach Chris Ledbetter said. “He works quick, pounds the strike zone and changes speed. He’s been pretty much unhittable. This has been his M.O. the last four or five starts.”

“I’ve just been conservative with pitches, attacking the strike zone so I can go deep into games,” Brennan said.

Brennan and the Huskies received some breathing room courtesy of his catcher. Jack Picchiotti pulled a three-run homer, his sixth of the season, down the right-field line in the sixth inning to give the home team a 7-1 cushion.

“That was really big,” Ledbetter said. “I didn’t think they were going to pitch to him. I know in that situation with first base open I wouldn’t have thrown to him…I’m glad they did.”

Brennan enjoyed a perfect day at the plate. He walked twice in between his sacrifice fly and home run.

“Coming into the playoffs I was swinging the bat real well,” Brennan said. “Yesterday I was 0 for 2. I wasn’t seeing the ball good, but I came here early to hit and got my swing back.”

It’s the program’s 12th-straight regional title and 27th overall dating back to the 1981 state championship team, which was introduced before the game.

The Huskies advance to Wednesday’s 4:30 p.m. Mt. Carmel sectional semifinal against top-seeded St. Rita, which edged Fenwick 1-0 in the St. Rita regional final.

“All year we’ve prepared for the playoffs by keeping our pitchers limited in innings and pitches per game,” Ledbetter said. “Right now our pitchers are as sharp as anybody. They’re well-rested. None of ’em have over 50 innings. None of ’em have gone over 100 pitches in a baseball game. So they’re ready to go at the right time.”

The Huskies will be tough to beat if they continue to hit, pitch and field like they did in the regional.

“I think we’ve really come together,” Brennan said. “We’ve got a good shot at sectionals.”

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