The game was on the line for the knights. 

Prospect entered the bottom of the 7th with a comfortable 8-3 lead over Glenbrook North. However, the spartans weren’t quite ready to go home. The spartans rallied four runs during the inning and brought the game within one, with a runner on second and third and two out. 

But for this game, there was no hollywood finish for the Spartans as a ground ball to second base ended the Spartans’ season. Prospect had held on 8-7 to advance to the Sectional Final.

“The seventh inning was a rollercoaster,” Prospect right fielder Ethan Rossi said, “ I was getting a bit nervous out in right, but I had faith in our guys. I knew we were going to pull through.”

Prospect did pull through and mobbed the field in celebration. The sectional final was coming through prospect for the first time in school history.

“Sprinting out [from the dugout] was incredible. You’re just surrounded by your best friends, and it feels so good to celebrate all the work we put into this program” Senior reliever Jack Doyle Said.

Cole Conner received the start and was a workhorse for the knights on the bump, surrendering only three runs before that fateful seventh inning. Conner played key roles in all three of the knight’s playoff wins, earning the win against meadows, the save versus Stevenson, and now the win over Glenbrook North.

“Cole has been an absolute warrior,” Prospect head coach Ross Giusti said, “How far that kid has come in one year is just unbelievable.”

Prospect was able to jump on GBN quickly putting up two runs in the top of the first on a Brady Jensen triple and a sac fly from Tyler Ciulla.

Glenbrook North was quick to respond with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame and the game was already taking shape up to become a shootout.

GBN tied the game in the bottom of the second off of a wild pitch, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. In the top of the third Ethan Rossi turned on a 2-1 fastball sending it off the top of the left-field wall and out of the ballpark to give the knights a 5-2 lead.

Prospect would tack on two more in the top of the 5th, off of a sac fly and wild pitch. In the 7th prospect added one last insurance run on an RBI single from Tyler Ciulla. It would make all the difference.

Whatever comfortable lead the knights had going into the 7th had vanished. Back-to-back singles and a walk loaded the bases and spelled trouble to start the inning. 

After two more consecutive singles from GBN Prospect’s five-run lead had shrunk to 3, a single out on the board. Conner’s night was done.

 Prospect was bleeding runs and Giusti hoped Will Sommers could be the band-aid to stop the bleeding. Sophomore Jack Friar took Sommers’s spot at second and Cole Conner moved over to third.

Sommers immediately got a flyout to Jake Bush in center at the expense of another run. The game was now within two for Glenbrook North with ducks on first and third. A 3-2 single from NJ Gott brought the game back within one run. 

Energy could not be contained from the Spartans dugout as they were one extra-base hit from walking it off down five at the beginning of the inning.

Nerves and intensity hung on every pitch as Sommers sent two fastballs by Spencer Geake. The lefty rolled over the next pitch and Kyle Odeshoo tagged first for the second out.

The game was on the line for the knights.

Runners on second and third, a single could end Prospects season and send Glenbrook into a frenzy.

But Sommers kept his cool. On Sommers’s first pitch Gaffney sent a routine ground ball to Friar at second and after a short toss, it was over. Just like the 2016 cubs, Prospect had won it 8-7 holding on in the final inning.

“As soon as the ball went to Friar I was so happy. That kid has been grinding all year long and the fact that he was able to make the last play is something I will remember forever.” Conner said.

The Sectional championship now runs through Larry Pullman field at Prospect highschool. Prospect takes on Glenbrook south on Friday at 4:30. 

You can catch the game here on KTV.