Ignorance was bliss for Owen Roberts during Waubonsie Valley’s Class 4A Plainfield North Sectional semifinal on Wednesday.
The junior pitcher had no idea he had a no-hitter going before he struck out the Tigers’ Tanner Grimes to end the game.
“I honestly didn’t know that I had a no-hitter, not until after the game,” Roberts said. “It definitely feels amazing. I’m just going out there and just trying to compete and win every game.”
Amazingly, Roberts has done just that. The second-seeded Warriors’ 3-0 victory against seventh-seeded Plainfield North was just his latest, although certainly most sterling, outing.
Roberts improved to 10-0 as Waubonsie Valley (25-9) advanced to the sectional championship game to play top-seeded Downers Grove North (29-7), which beat 12th-seeded Neuqua Valley 3-1, at 10 a.m. Saturday.
It will be the Warriors’ first appearance in a sectional final since 2005, when future Cubs pitcher Michael Bowden led them to the Class AA state quarterfinals in the old two-class system.
“It means a lot because our coach, he hasn’t had much success,” Roberts said. “For us to finally do it for him, it means a lot.”
Indeed, this was Waubonsie Valley’s first sectional semifinal appearance in coach Bryan Acevedo’s 10-year tenure. Roberts’ no-hitter is the team’s third in that span.
“He’s been special for us all year,” Acevedo said. “When he’s on the mound, our team is confident, and we know we’ve just got to score a couple of runs and he’s going to take care of the rest.”
Roberts actually helped take care of most of the offense as well, going 2-for-3, including an RBI double in the bottom of the first inning to open the scoring. Ben Ford followed with a run-scoring single to drive in Noah Pilon.
That completed a huge momentum swing after Plainfield North (17-18) squandered a great opportunity in the top of the first. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs, but Roberts induced a pop-out to second baseman Ryan Morton to end the threat.
“Usually, the first inning is a little shaky for him sometimes, but after that first inning, he bounces back, and that’s what he did today,” Waubonsie Valley shortstop Ryan Lucas said.
Roberts, who struck out seven and walked two, retired the next 13 batters before getting into another jam in the sixth when he hit two.
“I was mad at myself, so I just knew I had to be better for the team because it’s a really big game,” Roberts said. “I just wanted to compete.”
With runners at first and third and the tying run at the plate, Roberts got a strikeout on a 3-2 count and induced a ground-out to first baseman Sean Carroll.
“It was definitely a nerve-wracking moment because if I walk the guy, the bases would be loaded,” Roberts said. “But I just didn’t want to lose, so I just wanted to throw a strike.”
Roberts threw plenty of those, at least after his 25-pitch first inning. His final pitch count was 93, including a four-pitch fifth inning, and he allowed only three balls out of the infield.
The rest of the Warriors, including those who were aware of Roberts’ in-progress gem, backed him up by playing errorless defense. Lucas had four assists, two of which came on sharply hit balls. He made a nice stop and throw for the penultimate out in the seventh.
“I was just trying to make the plays behind him,” Lucas said. “Obviously, in that seventh inning, I knew he had the no-no going. I tried to make that play that I had to make and keep the no-no for him.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
