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Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Colin Chung wants to pitch again. First, Lake Zurich has to beat Mundelein. So he does his part.
A different day, a different hat for Lake Zurich junior Colin Chung. As the season has progressed, the Bears have come to expect Chung will do something positive each game, and those contributions don't come only in his most high-profile position as a starting pitcher. 'The fact that I'm playing a bigger role is great,' he said. 'It's a lot more fun to be in the mix.' The 5-foot-11, 170-pound Chung isn't merely in the mix, however. He's one of the main ingredients. On Wednesday, when Chung was playing second base, he delivered the go-ahead single in the eighth-seeded Bears' 9-3 win against fourth-seeded Mundelein in the Class 4A Stevenson Sectional semifinals in Vernon Hills. As a result, Chung will pitch Saturday, when Lake Zurich (26-11) will play another North Suburban Conference rival, second-seeded Libertyville (32-4), in an attempt to win the program's first sectional title. The Bears will also be pursuing their 14th victory in their past 16 games. 'I'm always excited to get on the mound again and attack hitters and try to win my team a game,' he said. 'I've always had confidence in my ability to pitch.' Chung's bat was the problem for the Mustangs (23-11-2). His one-out single to the opposite field off senior reliever Brody Paluch drove in the first of the six runs the Bears scored in the fifth inning to break open a 3-3 tie. 'That kid was pounding curveballs on the first pitch getting ahead, so I was just sitting curveball and took it the other way,' Chung said. 'In every inning, you just have to keep on going, and my hit might have sparked it. Then everyone after me did their job to continue to have a good approach at the plate.' That's Chung's kind of hitting, and Lake Zurich employed it throughout the game by producing nine runs on six hits, seven walks and a hit-by-pitch. Chung's strategy at the plate is unusual given that he's the cleanup hitter. Lake Zurich first-year coach Mike Manno moved Chung up a spot in the order before a 3-0 victory against Stevenson on May 22, when Chung also earned the win by allowing just three hits over six innings. 'He's a contact guy who gives us good at-bats and builds pitch counts on pitchers,' Manno said. 'That's why we moved him there. The beauty of having him there is that he's able to do a lot of different things for us, and he's really come through.' Chung is batting .296 with 19 RBIs, and his team-high six sacrifice bunts, including one Wednesday, have given teammates behind him a chance to drive in runs. 'He (Manno) has confidence in me bunting guys over,' Chung said. 'My approach is to find gaps. It might not look like a typical four hitter, but the job gets done, attacking strikes when I get them and putting the ball in play.' Chung follows Lake Zurich's most productive hitters, seniors Cash Kaczmarek and Owen Strahl. 'Colin is the most consistent No. 4 hitter I've ever been in front of in my life,' Strahl said. 'Every time I get on, I can expect something good out of Colin. He's just constantly on every pitcher. It's always good when he has those six-, seven-, eight-pitch at-bats.' That's not the kind of at-bat Chung wants to see when he's on the mound. He has been a great complement to senior right-hander Josh Marzec, who pitched Wednesday. Chung has recorded a 1.31 ERA in nine starts and one relief appearance over 42 2/3 innings with 56 strikeouts and 21 walks. 'I've been throwing a lot more change-ups this year,' Chung said. 'I started to add that to my repertoire, and it has helped keep hitters guessing, which is how I like to pitch — mixing in off-speeds and keeping hitters off balance. I have confidence in throwing it for a strike on any count.' Lake Zurich has shown confidence in Chung. 'I sort of knew that I would have a spot with the team pitching,' he said. 'But with a new coach, I didn't know how I would pitch or hit and fit in the lineup. So I'm just happy I've been able to perform and be a contributor.'
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Brandon Marano rallies Mundelein like no other. As a hitter, catcher and emotional leader, ‘he anchors us.'
The moment wasn't too big for Mundelein senior catcher Brandon Marano, not by a long shot. The bases were loaded when Marano faced Palatine senior left-hander Toby Peterson, a Kentucky recruit, in the first inning of the Class 4A Palatine Regional championship game on Saturday. 'Walking up to the plate felt very surreal,' Marano said. 'I did my normal routine, took a deep breath and knew to be ready. It was the first pitch, and I saw that it was middle-middle. I didn't swing as hard as I could and was just thinking to get the bat on the ball and it'll go.' In fact, it went all the way to the fence in right-center field for a bases-clearing double. Marano's hit was the first salvo in what became an eight-run inning in Mundelein's 8-4 win. 'As I was rounding first and heading for second, I picked up coach at third and looked back at the fans and saw them going crazy,' Marano said. 'I knew it would get all three in. 'After all the hard work and effort I've put in over the last 12 years, it came down to that moment, making everyone happy and knowing that I did that. I did it for more than just me.' The Mustangs (24-10-2) have been the beneficiaries of the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Marano's good deeds all season as he has developed into a steady offensive force, most often hitting fifth in the lineup, and helped guide a deep, talented pitching staff. 'Pitchers have confidence in his ability to smother pitches in the dirt, and he still keeps improving on the communication side in being able to help navigate the staff through games,' Mundelein coach Randy Lerner said. On Saturday, Marano's defensive prowess accounted for three outs on the base paths. He threw out one runner at second base on a steal attempt, did the same after blocking a ball in the dirt that trickled a few feet away, and back-picked a runner who got caught in no man's land between first and second. 'My hit catalyzed the energy we had, but I had one of my best defensive games too,' Marano said. Heading into a Stevenson Sectional semifinal matchup against North Suburban Conference rival Lake Zurich on Wednesday, Marano is hitting .347 with a .445 on-base percentage and a team-best 32 RBIs. The double against Palatine was his 14th of the season, and he also has a triple and two home runs. Marano had a similar batting average last season but far fewer at-bats. He took hold of the starting job in the second half of the season, a positive step that left him wanting much more. 'One big difference from last spring to now is that I felt like I had to prove myself,' Marano said. 'At the end of the day, I wasn't where I wanted to be. I still had to get my extra work in at the gym, and I still had to get extra swings in. 'All of the time, energy and emotion I put into the game is paying off.' Emotion is a big part of Marano's contributions to the Mustangs, not only in how he works with pitchers but also in how he makes sure everyone in the dugout is invested. 'He's kind of our glue guy,' Mundelein senior pitcher Joey Kafka said. 'Even my parents will say that things are completely different when he's not around. He anchors us down as a team.' Emotion came into play in a different way during Mundelein's game against crosstown rival Carmel on May 1. Marano went through his typical game-day routine, going home during a free period to grab his baseball gear. On this day, he was met by his parents, who were sitting on the couch waiting for him. They told him their 12-year-old dog, Wrigley, had to be put to sleep. When Marano returned to school, he learned he would catch for only part of the game. So as he went to the plate with the bases loaded and the Mustangs trailing 5-1 in the fourth inning, he knew it would likely be his last at-bat. 'The first pitch was a curve that he hung, and I hit it over the left-center field fence,' Marano said. 'I think it was the first home run I had hit since I was like 12. 'When I stepped on home, I leaped into Baris Brua's arms and hugged him. I let all the emotion out.' The Mustangs rallied to win 10-6. Not every game has been so noteworthy, but Marano's work with Mundelein's pitchers behind the scenes has had a significant impact on them. 'He didn't start the whole year last year, and I think he took that personally,' Kafka said. 'He's pretty much caught all of us since we were like 8, and he worked his tail off this offseason, catching all of our bullpens twice a week. He recognizes when our pitches are a little off, and he's the first one to tell us.' Marano, who will attend Tennessee, won't play college baseball. He may join a club team but knows it won't be the same as what he has experienced at Mundelein. His constant companion through it all has been his catching equipment. 'I wouldn't be the player I am today without catching,' Marano said. 'If you do something good at catcher, everyone sees it, and it can work against you, too, if you do something wrong. But I love that about the position. 'I'm putting everything I have into the game right now.'
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sophia Zepeda pitches like the ace Mundelein needs her to be. ‘I saw my potential.' Now she's reaching it.
Mundelein senior pitcher Sophia Zepeda's run of bad luck appears to be behind her. Zepeda, who pitched sparingly behind then-sophomore Shae Johnson during the Mustangs' run to fourth place in Class 4A last year, was anointed the ace of the staff after an injury sidelined Johnson for this entire season But Zepeda, a College of Lake County commit, then suffered back-to-back injuries that forced her to sit out some games. 'It was frustrating because I reinjured myself the very first game back and missed five or six games,' she said. 'I knew I had to be ready when I came back and thought it would be difficult after a few weeks off. It was good to rest my body.' Zepeda, who returned in early May, certainly was on her game Friday. She didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning to lead fourth-seeded Mundelein to a 6-0 victory over fifth-seeded Libertyville in the 4A Buffalo Grove regional championship game. Zepeda (8-4) struck out 18, walked five and surrendered just two hits in seven shutout innings for the Mustangs (22-10), who advance to the Stevenson Sectional semifinals to play another North Suburban Conference rival, the top-seeded host Patriots, at 2 p.m. Wednesday. 'Sophia has always been ready to step in and do what she can do for the team, so this year she knew she would get more of the pitching responsibility with Shae out with her injury,' Mundelein coach Heather Ryan said. 'She's such a tough, resilient, hardworking kid. She had some injuries but did a great job rehabbing and getting ready for the playoffs. 'She brought the heat today, and her pitching was really hitting. She hit her spots.' Zepeda struck out five over the final two innings and finished her stellar performance by snaring a hard-hit hopper and throwing to first base for the last out. She struck out 16 against Buffalo Grove in the regional semifinals and has 164 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings this season. 'I threw a lot of rise balls, and that was working in our semifinal game as well,' Zepeda said. 'That's what I've been working on every day.' Zepeda, who also plays volleyball and basketball, was impressive in relief in the third-place game last year. She said she then prepared in the offseason to be the Mustangs' No. 1 pitcher. 'The state experience was really good for me because I saw my potential and how good I can be,' she said. 'That really drove me in the offseason. I just lit up the offseason and went to the cages and threw a lot.' The Wildcats (23-9) split the season series with the Mustangs but failed to get a hit on Friday until junior Taylor Higham, who took the loss after pitching six-plus innings, ended Zepeda's bid for a no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth. Libertyville junior Maddy Kleemann followed with a single up the middle, but Zepeda escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. '(Zepeda) dominated us and pitched great, and they made all the plays defensively,' Libertyville coach Dar Townsend said. Mundelein senior first baseman Claire Connelly, an Indiana State recruit who holds multiple program records, said Zepeda has proved she's a gamer. 'Not pitching much last season, she has stepped up and come back stronger after her injuries,' Connelly said. 'She's become a more dominant pitcher and always stays composed. I don't think she missed a pitch today. She was nonstop and didn't take a pitch off.' Mundelein freshman catcher Sarah Benes agreed that Zepeda is rounding into elite form. 'She hit her spots today,' Benes said. 'She was strong and hasn't missed anything since her injury.'
