CHAMPAIGN – Edwardsville's eight-run explosion in the top of the fifth in the Tigers' 11-3 win over Orland Park Sandburg to send EHS to this weekend's IHSA Class 4A state tournament brought a lot of joy to Tiger supporters at Illinois Field in Champaign.
Especially Andrew Yancik, who had a key RBI double during the Tigers' eruption.
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“I don't think I've ever been happier on a baseball field,” Yancik said of his feelings during the Tigers' decisive outburst. “I mean, that cemented the win for us right there. It definitely sent a message to the other team that we weren't fooling around out there; I think that demoralized them – they weren't taking the same at-bats they were previously in the game”
Edwardsville supporters had brought an orange flag with them that had the Tigers' “E-Paw” logo on one side and “618” on the other, the number representing Southern Illinois' area code; Yancik and his teammates are looking forward to representing the region and the area code this weekend in Joliet. “That's just huge to for us and the 618 area – southern Illinois – to come up here and beat a Chicago team; it's huge.”
The Eagles brought with them a student supporters group that, once they arrived in the second inning, made their presence known. “I've never experienced a game like that when they bring a fan section to a baseball game,” Yancik said. “It was a little different, but we were able to overcome whatever they threw at us.”
Yancik and his teammates will spend the week getting ready to answer the challenge being posted by Burbank St. Laurence in Friday evening's semifinal game (which starts at 5 p.m.). “We'll prepare this coming week and we'll be ready for Friday,” Yancik said.
Friday's other semifinal features Winnetka New Trier against Crystal Lake South at 3 p.m.; the Friday winners meet for the state title at 5 p.m. Saturday, with the third-place playoff set for 3 p.m.
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