O’Brien: Providence outlasts Mount Carmel in classic state title game

The Catholic League Blue is living up to its reputation as the Illinois high school baseball equivalent of college football’s powerhouse SEC West conference.

Providence coach Mark Smith says it clearly: “It’s the best conference by far. I’ll say it’s not close. I think we’ve proven that. You go back to 2009 and a (Catholic League Blue team) has played for the state championship every year. I know we get a lot of press but it’s deserved.”

Two Catholic League Blue teams backed up Smith’s boast Saturday at Silver Cross Field in Joliet as the Celtics beat Mount Carmel 6-5 in a Class 4A state title game for the ages.

Providence came from one run down to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh and then won it in the eighth on a walk-off single from junior Mike Madej.

The Celtics are just the third team in state history to win back-to-back state baseball titles. Maine pulled off the feat in 1958 and 1959, back when there was just one class. Teutopolis won consecutive Class 2A titles in 2010 and 2011.

“I think the big thing with our team is we don’t have any big name guys,” said Providence junior Tom Kelley. “It’s a new guy every day but we are all in it for the same purpose and we just grind wins.”

Mount Carmel (36-5) is the state’s most talented team on paper, with nine players heading off to play Division I baseball next season. Providence doesn’t have that kind of star power.

It didn’t matter in the seventh inning though, when the Caravan led 4-3 and were just one out from the win. Justin Hunniford was at the plate for Providence, bases loaded and the season on the line. The senior drew a walk that forced in Matt Diehl, who had led off the inning with a single. That tied the score at 5 and sent the game to extra innings, the first time that has happened in the eight-year history of Class 4A.

“I told them ‘no one does this better than us,’ it is just a belief these kids have in themselves that they are going to find a way to do it,” said Smith. “And they did it again today.”

Malik Carpenter knocked in Josh Stowers with a single in the top of the eighth inning to give Mount Carmel a 5-4 lead. Once again the Caravan was three outs away from the title. Closer Scott Kapers, who gave up the tying run in the seventh, came back out to try and close it out in the eighth.

Jackson Dvorak led off the inning with a single for Providence. Tom Kelley sacrificed Dvorak to second and a wild pitch brought Dvorak to third. Matt Diehl followed with a single to left to knock in Dvorak and tie the score at 5. Madej then came to the plate with runners on second and third and nobody out.

“I’m up there swinging, just getting the ball in the outfield that’s it,” said Madej. “No pressure. I was happy to be up, I was having fun out there.”

Madej hit a single to center and Kelley ran in with the game-winning run to clinch the Celtics’ second consecutive title.

Jake Carlsen started for the Celtics (31-11). Noah O’Brien came on in relief to pitch the final 4 and 2/3 innings. He allowed just two hits and one run.

“It was very nerve-racking coming in,” said O’Brien “I kind of settled down after the first few outs and I just did what I could and it seemed to work for a little while.”