Daniel Coyle hadn’t pitched since May 26, but he was more than ready when he got the ball on Saturday.
The junior threw three innings of one-run relief for the win and drove in two runs as St. Laurence beat Benet 8-5 for the IHSA Class 3A baseball title at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet.
“Honestly, I’m always telling them I’m ready to go,” Coyle said. “The first thing I say when coach Adam (Lotus) comes up to me (and says), ‘You got three in you today?’ — ‘I got as many as you need, coach.’
“I’m always ready to go, no matter what.”
His effort helped the program win its first title, and the third IHSA championship in school history. The Vikings won Class 5A football in 1976 and Class AA wrestling in 1990.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” said coach Pete Lotus, who is 560-153 in 19 seasons at his alma mater. “It’s hard. It’s so hard when it’s one and done in high school. You run into so many different obstacles, and I know the last time we came to the state championship game (a 6-3 loss to Montini in 2019), I just felt we didn’t play our best.
“(We) wanted to make sure if we got another opportunity, we were going to give our best effort — we weren’t going to tense up.”
The Vikings (37-5) checked that box. Every starter had at least one of St. Laurence’s 14 hits off Wichita State commit Gino Zagorac and reliever Jonny Rossi, and every starter either drove in a run or scored one.
Coyle was 2-for-3 with a double, a double, a run and two RBIs. Also coming up big were Connor Marino (2-for-3, run), Adrian Perez (2-for-3, RBI), Cory Les (1-for-3, two runs), Ben Geary (2-for-4, two runs), Enrique Villanueva (1-for-3, two RBIs) and Orlando Vazquez (2-for-4, run).
The Vikings opened a 5-2 lead after three innings, but Benet (27-13) tied it at 5 after five. Then Coyle doubled home Mickey Lotus in the top of the sixth to put St. Laurence ahead for good. In the bottom of the sixth, second baseman Lotus’ relay from right fielder Danny Donovan to third baseman Les cut down Benet’s Dominik Tomala trying to stretch a two-out double into a triple.
The Vikings added two insurance runs in the seventh on Villaneuva’s RBI single and Donovan’s sacrifice fly. Then Coyle worked a scoreless seventh and St. Laurence’s wait was over.
To be able to close out the win after coming through offensively?
“I couldn’t picture it better myself,” Coyle said. “… I live for that type of stuff, and it just feels so good to bring one home.”
Les, a Louisville commit, seconded that emotion, especially considering some of the challenges the Vikings faced. Pitcher Joe Olson, another Louisville commit, missed the entire season because of injury and St. Laurence started 4-3.
“We definitely had to find our identity,” Les said. “We had a lot of juniors this year, a lot of guys with less experience. Missing Joe was big, especially experience-wise.
“But Joe really helped teach the guys what it’s like to be on varsity, what it takes. And our guys figured it out.”
Now the Vikings are state champs, and Mickey Lotus can share a priceless memory with his dad.
“I’ve always wished, always dreamed of playing in this game,” Mickey Lotus said. “… We might not be the most talented team — even though we’re really good — but the bond that we have with each other is just insane.”