Prairie Ridge celebrates retiring coach Glen Pecoraro with victory

CRYSTAL LAKE – Of all of the presents, including a Mason jar full of infield dirt scooped from Prairie Ridge‘s baseball field, it was the presence of current assistant coaches and former players that mattered most to Glen Pecoraro.

That, and their heartfelt words.

Oh, the Wolves’ 8-0 win over Crystal Lake Central, which featured six innings of one-hit ball by lefty Riley Golden, was appreciated by the Wolves’ longtime head coach, as well.

But when Prairie Ridge assistant coaches Paul Belo, Joe Rossetti and Andy Deain and Central coaches Cal Aldridge, Tristan Stewart and Austin Padjen all took time during a pregame ceremony to acknowledge the man they affectionately call “Coach Pec,” the knees of the retiring coach buckled like those of a JV player seeing a varsity curveball for the first time.

“I’m honored,” Pecoraro said after his Wolves improved to 24-6-1 and 13-3 in the Fox Valley Conference to remain tied atop the standings with McHenry, with only a home-and-home series against the Warriors this week remaining. “I appreciate everybody doing what they did, my coaches saying what they said, the administrators. Those Central guys are all of my guys.”

Aldridge, Stewart and Padjen played for Pecoraro at Prairie Ridge.

“Just the words coming from those guys,” Pecoraro said, “because of how much I think of those guys and how much I love those guys, those words mean more to me than anything.”

The respect is mutual. Many other former Pecoraro players and others who simply admire him attended the game. Longtime umpire assignor Jeff Collis flew in from Florida to be there for Pecoraro, who also was presented a plaque and a banner.

“He’s clearly impacted a ton of people,” said Aldridge, who’s in his second year as head coach of the Tigers. “You saw that today. You saw how much people care about him and how much he cares for people. I would do anything for him, and I know he would do the same for many of us on our staff. I was fortunate enough to play for him. He he set me up for everything I have now.”

Prairie Ridge‘s players didn’t disappoint with their performance. The Wolves scored twice in the first and four more times in the second to give Golden more than enough run support.

“He’s been a father figure to all of us, especially to the three- and four-year (varsity) guys,” said Golden, a four-year varsity player and Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit. “Every time you step on the field here, you have something to learn from him. That’s been really nice, whether that’s baseball-related or life-related.”

The only hit Golden allowed was a two-out single in the fourth to James Dreher. Right fielder Maddon McKim raced in and tried to make a sliding catch with the webbing of his glove turned up but couldn’t hang on to the ball.

“I was trying to argue to give it an error, so Riley could get a no-hitter,” McKim said. “I tried my best. I should have went underhand.”

Pecoraro and his staff ruled it a hit.

“Being a former outfielder, coming in hard like that, that’s not an easy play, Pecoraro said.

Golden walked two, and both times picked the runner off first base. He credited former Prairie Ridge left-hander Matt Porter, who pitches for Pitt and whose brother Gabe is a senior on the 2025 Wolves.

“Shout-out to Matt Porter for teaching me that move [during summer camp a couple of years ago],” Golden said. “(Karson) Steifer and I worked on that every day in the offseason. It’s nice to see it pay off.”

Steifer (2 for 3, double, two RBIs) and McKim (2 for 2, double, four RBIs) led the Wolves’ offensive attack. McKim, for one, knew he couldn’t let down his coach on this day.

“So, obviously, Coach Pec is a hard guy,” McKim said. “But I actually would rather have that than a softie. He teaches me the discipline to come out to the field every day and give it all I got, because if I don’t, I’m going to get reamed. That’s what a good coach does. He puts me in the best position every day, and he makes me better. That’s what Coach Pec has done every day that I’ve been here, even when I was in summer camp when I was in sixth and seventh grade.”

Central reliever Bud Shanahan did his part to keep the Tigers in the game after the hosts touched lefty starter Carter Kelley for four hits and three walks in an inning-plus. Shanahan pitched five innings, allowing two sixth-inning runs, neither of which was earned.

“He competes every single day,” Aldridge said. “We used him a little bit Saturday (at Sycamore). We had a conversation and said if you pound the zone early, you’re going to have more success. He executed that today, and I’m very proud of him.”