Providence Running Game Hits Stride vs. Marian

baseball matchup with figured to give the Spartans a barometer as to how they stacked up against one of the best teams in the state.

After winning 11 of their first 13 games, including the last seven straight, the Spartans were feeling good about themselves. Couple that with having one of the top pitching prospects in the state, Brett Lilek, on the mound and the Spartans really liked their chances.

But it was about over for the Spartans after the first two innings as the Celtics took advantage of some Marian miscues in the field on balls that could have been turned into outs and just found the right holes to take a commanding 5-0 lead and eventual 9-1 win on Sunday.

The game took place at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood and was the first of four games in the inaugural "Do It Stevie’s Way 219 Challenge."

The Celtics would have been fine with just a couple of runs because starting pitcher Brandon Magallones was awesome.

“Hats off to their pitcher," Marian Catholic coach Phil Wail said. "He shut us down. He was throwing strikes with all of his pitches and getting ahead our guys. We didn't even have a chance today.”

Magallones struck out nine of the first 10 Spartan hitters.

“Every pitch was working today,” he said.

In the end, Magallones allowed one run on two hits and fanned 12. As for the Providence offense, the Celtics were effective once they got on base. They stole six bases and applied relentless pressure.

“We did a lot of good things,” Providence coach Mark Smith said. “We bunted the ball. We used the hit-and-run well. We stole some bases. Our aggressiveness on the bases was very good. When you can put pressure on a defense like that, good things are going to happen and fortunately for us they did.”

Celtic leadoff hitter Kevin DeFilippis went 4-for-4. He scored three runs, swiped a pair of bases and picked up one RBI.

“I was trying to get on,” DeFilippis said.  “I know I have guys behind me that can knock me over and knock me in and today we did our job.”

The second hitter in the Providence order, Zak Kutsulis, was just as effective as he went 2-for-3, scoring two runs, driving in a run and getting a stolen base.

“It’s kind of like a big responsibility (to get on),” Kutsulis said.  “From the beginning of the year, I had to earn my spot. So, I am working my way up to it. It is good to be in this spot. It helps the team to get on and do my job.”

After Magallones retired the Spartans in order in the top of the first, DeFilippis hit a ball to the Spartan shortstop for an infield hit that could have been an out. DeFilippis then stole second.

Kutsulis bunted in an attempt to move DeFilippis over. It was a poor bunt that could have been caught by the Spartan third baseman but instead dropped in for a hit, putting runners at first and second.

As Kutsulis went to take second, the Spartans' catcher threw to second, allowing DeFilippis to sprint home for the first of nine runs. Magallones gave up his only run of the game in the fifth when Devin Pickett hit a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Lilek.

Lilek was better than his numbers indicated. He went four innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits. He finished with six strikeouts. The Celtics improved to 12-0, while the Spartans fell to 11-3.

“I don’t care if we're 50-0, I am never going to be satisfied,” Smith said. “They are going to have to stay as hungry. They've got to keep working and keep working. You are never going to be perfect in this game.”

The event was in honor of former Mount Carmel baseball player Steven Bajenski, who passed away in 2009 due from complications from heart surgery. All proceeds from the event, including hats and T-shirts that were for sale, went to the "Do It Stevie’s Way Foundation," a scholarship fund that recognizes those that best exhibits Stevie’s way.

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