Marmion, Ethan Flores finish off sweep of Montini

LOMBARD –Entering Tuesday’s action in the White Division of the Chicago Catholic League, there were four teams within two games of each other. St. Francis stood alone on top of the standings at 7-0, with Marmion and Montini both a game back at 6-1. Fenwick was two games behind at 5-2.

The two-way tie in the runner-up slot was courtesy of the Cadets’ home win over the Broncos on Monday, which moved their Tuesday afternoon rematch in Lombard into a possible shot of catching the Spartans at the top of the CCL White depending on how their home contest went with Chicago DeLaSalle.

Marmion took the momentum from that win Monday and used it as fuel, as the Cadets took off from the first pitch with a seven-run first. They never looked back in earning an 11-1 triumph in five innings to sweep the host Broncos for their third straight win and eighth in their last 10.

The victory moves the Cadets (16-9-1, 7-1) into at least sole possession of second place in the CCL White as the Spartans (19-3, 8-0) swept DeLaSalle with a 12-2 home win Tuesday.

Marmion and St. Francis will square off Thursday in the first of their two-game divisional set at Regole Park in Aurora, with the series finale Saturday at the Spartans’ home diamond.

“This is why we play the game. You play the game well, and at the end of the game you hope you can come out on top,” Cadets coach Aaron Nieckula said.

“These guys have been working their (tails) off all year playing good baseball. I think we’re having a good approach. They’re confident at the plate, they’re consistent with what they do and how they think. Montini is a good program, and our guys put up a seven-spot, had some good at-bats and never looked back.”

Marmion did their damage off Broncos starting hurler Nick Kios courtesy of their three, four and five hitters.

It began with an RBI single from first baseman Micheal Lio, then third baseman Ethan Flores connected on a three-run homer off a changeup to make it 4-0.

Flores talked of just simply trying to put the ball in play.

“He left it inside. I’m not trying to do too much with it, just seeing where the ball goes, and I kind of hit a home run,” Flores said.

Right fielder Matthew Tulley then followed that with a home run of his own, sending Kios out of the contest two batters later.

Marmion added a pair of two-run innings in both the third and fourth including an RBI double from Flores in the third.

Montini (15-10, 6-2) got its lone run on an RBI grounder from catcher Johnny Louise that drove in left fielder Jackson Simek in its half of the first.

“The first inning is really important, and you’ve got to be able to go out there and put up a zero, and we did not do that today,“ Broncos coach Eric Scott said. ”It’s tough to bounce back from that. Credit to Marmion. They did a good job.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250506/prep-baseball/baseball-marmion-stays-hot-routs-montini-to-move-into-2nd-place-in-conference/