Benet’s Josh Gugora was ready to take his team to an unprecedented place.
The senior center fielder stepped into the moment with self-belief and full awareness of the stakes.
”I’m always confident in myself and in any of those situations,” Gugora said. “I always want to have that chance, either at the plate or in the outfield. If they want me to deliver, I’ll do my best.”
Gugora delivered on Monday night, that’s for sure. His two-run double in the first inning of the Class 3A Geneseo Supersectional sparked a four-run frame, propelling the Redwings to an historic 6-3 victory over Washington.
Sophomore first baseman Quinn Rooney went 2-for-3 with an RBI for Benet (26-12), which will make its first appearance in the state semifinals against Cary-Grove (20-12) at Slammers Stadium in Joliet at 1 p.m. Friday. Senior pitcher Jonathon Rossi scattered six hits and a walk while striking out three in 5 1/3 innings to get the win.
Gugora, an Illinois Wesleyan commit who went 1-for-3 and also scored a run against Washington (28-10), got it started.
“I got down 0-2 in the count, and I really just wanted to put the ball in play,” he said. “I waited for the right pitch. It was a curveball, a high pitch, and I just put a barrel on it.”
The moment reverberated for the Redwings.
“That team came in cocky before the game and talked a lot after Josh’s double,” Benet senior outfielder Luke Wildes said. “They didn’t really say anything the rest of the game.
“Josh is just a great young player. He’s so smart and confident, and mentally he never lets anything in center field or the plate get to him.”
Senior third baseman Merrick Sullivan agreed that Gugora’s hit was important.
“That just really set the tone,” Sullivan said. “They quieted down, and it just elevated everybody.
“That moment just showed how much he has worked. He’s always positive. He might go 0-3 or 3-3. You never know because he’s a great leader.”
That moment was particularly gratifying for Gugora, who missed part of his junior season with a broken finger.
“I played a decent amount last year, but going into this year, I felt like I had to take a bigger step,” he said. “I had to be a leader, understand my role and build the confidence of everybody on the team.”
During the offseason, Gugora worked to get stronger, faster and more agile.
He also played a lot of golf. Like baseball, golf can be mentally demanding.
“They both get really tough out there,” Gugora said. “You just have to breathe and learn how to trust yourself. In the end, you know you are the only one in control of everything, and you just go for it.”
Like the Redwings have done. Despite their fourth-place finish in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, Gugora said he and his teammates knew this kind of success was possible.
“Going back to my earliest days, as a freshman or sophomore, it was always our dream to get to state,” he said. “We had some tough losses but competitive games in our conference, and that just brought everybody together.”
Gugora said the Redwings didn’t feel weighed down by the past.
“We’re already one of the best Benet baseball teams ever,” he said. “It’s a dream come true for me. That double, that’s as big a moment as I’ve ever had.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter.
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