Ottawa Township-(ENEWSPF)- Battling a flu bug, senior Mark DiLuia scattered four hits and fanned seven Saturday in leading Marian Catholic to a 4-1 victory over Oak Forest for the Ottawa IHSA 3A Sectional crown. Marian (22-14) will move onto an Elite Eight contest on Monday at 5 p.m. at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood.
Nick Bledsoe was 0-for-3 at the plate, but his two RBI-fielder’s choice raps gave the Spartans a 2-1 lead through five innings. Christian Beal and Dan Gutierrez (2-for-4) added RBI-singles in the sixth to provide additional cushion.
Wyell Woods was 2-for-3 to ignite the offense, while pinch-runner Evan Wieringa swiped two of Marian’s five stolen bases.
The Bengals had five leadoff runners reach in the contest, but DiLuia benefitted from two double plays and got out of a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fifth inning.
The Spartans scored one run in the first, one in the fifth, and two in the sixth. Oak Forest had to settle for one run at the top of the fifth.
Marian Catholic High School is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory high school within the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community, and preaching. Marian Catholic students seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service.
