Hawks roll, have goal to ‘finish the job’ at states

n 4A West final: Urbana 9, Northwest 1 By JOHN CANNON

jcannon@newspost.com

URBANA — Another strong start from ace Evan Zarroli, another big day from its hard-hitting lineup and, ultimately, another regional title.

Urbana’s baseball team did plenty of familiar things during a 9-1 win over visiting Northwest in Tuesday’s Class 4A West Region I championship game, but all of them helped keep the Hawks on track to do something they’ve never done before — win a state title.

They came so close to their program’s first state crown last season, suffering a 7-6 walk-off loss in the seventh inning to Walter Johnson in the Class 4A state final, and many who played in that game returned this year, all the more determined.

“It was heartbreaking,” Zarroli said. “It lit a fire in us. That feeling was terrible. It sucks. That made it so much more important that we get there again this year (See HAWKS B2)

(Continued from B1) and this time we win.” The “get there again” part would include capturing a sixth straight regional title, which the Hawks accomplished Tuesday when Zarroli gave up just one hit in five innings of work and every one of Urbana’s hitters delivered at least one big blow, with several coming in the six-run second.

“This was a big one,” Urbana (18-5) coach Mike Frownfelter said of the win. “We figured we’ve got to get over this hump and make it to the quarterfinals and see what happens.”

Urbana’s opponent and seed in Friday’s quarterfinals is to be determined, but the Hawks’ mission remains crystal clear after reaching the state final two of the last three seasons.

“I think all year, ‘Finish the job’ has been our motto,” Frownfelter said. “We were right there. These guys got a taste when they were sophomores, they lost in the [state] semfinals. As juniors, they lost in the state championship on a walk-off. So their senior year, they want to finish the job.”

Just like last year, Zarroli got the starting nod in the regional final. And just like last year, when he threw a complete- game shutout over TJ in the 4A West championship game, Zarroli delivered. In five innings, the right-hander allowed no earned runs and just two hits and struck out six.

“I’ve done it before. I’m more used to it now,” he said. “But any big game, there’s always nerves throughout the team.”

“We needed him to step up today. To win a regional final, that’s what he did,” Frownfelter said. “He showed why he’s our ace and why he’s a college commit [UMBC]. He was awesome.”

Zarroli’s curve and split finger were particularly effective, and his confidence only increased after the Hawks gave him a huge lead with their six-run rally in the second.

“It’s such a huge relief, a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I know my team’s got me.”

Urbana’s pivotal rally included six hits. Billy Swaney tripled, DJ Staub and Trevor Collins doubled and Aidan Katz had a clutch two-run single. As Frownfelter said, once one of Urbana’s hitters gets a hit, it spreads to the others like it’s contagious.

“Once we start getting rolling and start scoring runs — we have some really good hitters,” he said. “They’re experienced. You look at some of those guys, they’ve been around a lot of big games that we’ve played over the last three years. You look at [Kayden] Lipscomb, [Aiden] Welch, Swaney, Jake Allen and DJ. Those seniors in the top five of our lineup are hard to get out. And even when they do get out, they hit the ball hard.”

The Hawks also have flexibility because Swaney — who also had an RBI double in the third — Welch and Collins are all switch hitters.

“My hitting coach, [Urbana assistant] Jeremy Long, he started me [as a switch hitter] when I was about 11 years old and I’ve been pretty consistent with it all throughout high school,” said Swaney, a natural lefty who batted on both sides on Tuesday.

Landon Lee and Kiegan Rupinta each threw one inning of scoreless relief for the Hawks, with the latter striking out all three batters he faced in the seventh to close out another regional title.