JOLIET - Carter Gaskill and Kade Rocca drove in the only runs of the game in the top of the fourth inning, while Nolan Keller threw seven shutout innings and scattered eight hits as Triad defeated Crystal Lake South in the IHSA Class 3A baseball semifinals 2-0 Friday afternoon at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
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The Knights advance to the state final, where they will play against Chicago St. Rita Catholic, which won the first semifinal 2-1 over East Peoria.
The Gators had an opportunity in the opening inning, with a lead-off single by Carson Trivellini, who went to third on a two-out double by Nick Stowasser, but both were stranded on a ground out to short. The Knights had a chance in the top of the fourth, and took advantage of it, starting with a lead-off single by Keegan Seipp.
After a fly out, Gaskill doubled to center, with Seipp coming all the way around the bases to score, putting the Knights ahead 1-0. Nathan Klucker drew a walk to put runners on first and second, and one out later, an RBI single by Rocca to left scored Gaskill and doubled the Triad lead to 2-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, South threatened again, with back-to-back singles by John Morgan and Michael Rathjeb with two out. Ryan Morgan reached on an error by the second baseman, but John Morgan was thrown out at the plate at the end of the play, keeping the score 2-0 for the Knights.
Trivellini doubled with one out in the seventh, but it would be as close as the Gators would get, as Keller slammed the door and preserved the 2-0 win to put Triad into the final.
Gaskill and Rocca had hits and RBIs for the Knights, while Braxton Yates, Seipp, and Klucker had the other hits. Keller went all the way on the mound, allowing no runs while scattering the eight hits, walking one, and striking out two.
South is now 29-10, and will meet the Raiders, now 26-15, in the third-place game Saturday at 10 a.m., while the Knights, now 36-5, meet the Mustangs, who go to 29-13, in the Class 3A final Saturday at 1 p.m.
