Vince Yario leads Bartlett to upset of Willowbrook in 4A regional title game

VILLA PARK - Willowbrook’s baseball team came into Saturday’s Class 4A regional championship on its home field averaging just a shade under seven runs per game this season.

So when the top-seeded Warriors grabbed a one-run lead in the bottom of the first against No. 8 seed Bartlett on a triple by leadoff hitter Jake Bonino and a sacrifice fly from teammate Vinny Ippolito, one couldn’t help but think there was more to come for the home team.

So how were the Hawks feeling about things at that point? According to Bartlett senior left fielder Austin Daubenmire, there was no doubt at all coming from his team’s dugout.

“Going into this game,” Daubenmire said, “our whole team had to bring the energy, and we knew that.

“After they scored that run we said ‘Hey, that’s nothing, now let’s go out and get some runs (of our own).’ That’s exactly what happened, and it feels amazing.”

The Hawks limited the Warriors to just the one run in the first, then struck for six tallies of their own in the top of the second.

Bartlett went on to win 8-1. The Hawks, now 19-16-1 on the year, move on to play South Elgin at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Willowbrook Sectional semifinals.

Junior pitcher Vince Yario led the way for Bartlett. After giving up the triple to Bonino, Yario didn’t allow another hit the remainder of the game, striking out eight.

“Vince is a guy who continues to step up, and he’s done that in great succession this year,” Bartlett coach Alex Coan said. “I couldn’t be prouder of him, couldn’t be prouder of the entire team.

“We know that Willowbrook is a very good ballclub. We have tons of respect for them and their program, and they were the No. 1 seed for a reason. Our guys came in with the mindset that we were the underdogs, and came in ready to go. We just executed today.”

Bartlett had five consecutive base knocks in the top of the second, including a clutch double from Daubenmire that got the ball rolling. Daubenmire, Tino Acevedo, Josh Colaizzi, Gio Scivittaro, Yario and Alex Bihun each had an RBI in the frame.

The Hawks tacked on two more in the fourth on a couple of Willowbrook errors.

And on offense, the Warriors couldn’t mount a rally. Yario shut down Willowbrook in the final three innings, facing the minimum nine batters.

“They were able to hold us to just one in the first inning,” said Warriors coach Vic Wisner of Bartlett, “and then they battled back.

“We knew they would, and we thought it would just be a matter of time before we did the same thing. But it didn’t happen.”

Wisner said the disappointing defeat didn’t dim the memory of one of the best seasons in Willowbrook history. The Warriors finished with a mark of 26-10 and set a school record for wins.

The coach added that the group of 17 graduating seniors from the roster will be sorely missed by his program.

“They’re a great group of kids,” he said of his senior class. “They do everything right, they’re great leaders and they had an amazing season.”

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