After stumbling into the playoffs losing seven of its last 10 regular-season games, Hinsdale Central's baseball team is a perfect 2-0 heading into Thursday's crosstown sectional semifinal against rival Hinsdale South.

The Red Devils (23-10) got a two-out inside-the-park grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning from Brett Morse that broke a 1-all tie en route to a 5-3 victory Saturday in Hinsdale.

After taking a called strike from Montini starter Pete Cappetta, Morse drove the next pitch deep to right with the wind taking the ball away from Montini right fielder Dan Glennon.

"I knew that (Cappetta) was a pitcher," said Hinsdale Central coach Tom Dorrance. "He reminds me of B.J. Mitchell when he was around here and knowing how to keep hitters off balance. We made some adjustments and got around on him in the sixth inning, and I don't think I've ever seen an inside-the-park home run around here ever, but big players come up big in big games."

Glennon dove to his left in an effort to catch the ball, but instead the ball bounced on the track and off the wall and Morse was able to speed home after Glennon picked up the ball and got it back in too late.
"I just got a good piece of it and the wind helped me out a bit and gave the right fielder some trouble," said Morse. "But we'll take it."

Glennon was injured on the play as he dove for the ball and had to leave the game even though he recovered to get the ball back into the infield.

"You can't fault the right fielder on that play," said Cappetta. "It was such a tough play and the ball carried over because of the wind."

Meanwhile, Red Devils starter Kasey Ourada was in full control of the game from the start as he took a no-hitter into the fifth until Montini's Roy Brown led off the inning with a single to right-center.

Brown later came around to score on a single by Brian Martin that made it a 1-all game.

Ourada earned the victory as he worked six innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out seven and issuing five walks.

"We have become really close as a team these past couple weeks or so, and that's why I think we won the game," said Ourada. "I knew my teammates were behind me the whole time and I just tried to pitch ground balls and keep the game going."

Ourada got six groundball outs, including an inning-ending double play in the fourth.

Hinsdale Central got on the board early in the first on an RBI groundout by Brett Suchy.

Cappetta matched Ourada for the first five innings. At one point he struck out eight of 11 batters but ended up taking his first loss of the season (7-1) as he went the distance. Cappetta went six innings, allowing five runs on five hits while striking out nine and walking one.

"(Cappetta's) been good all season and he had an excellent outing today," said Montini coach Bill Leeberg. "But you got to give (Hinsdale Central) credit. They put the ball in play and we had an opportunity with the bases loaded and we didn't come through."

Ourada ran into trouble to start the seventh as Will Halboth, who replaced Glennon, singled and Steve Montalto walked. Charlie Thomas then relieved Ourada, and after retiring his first batter, allowed an RBI groundout to Martin. Tim Pfluger followed that with an RBI single to center cutting the deficit to 5-3. But Thomas got Cappetta looking on three straight curveballs to earn the save.

"Charlie Thomas has been outstanding all year long and he got after it," said Dorrance. "He threw those three curveballs in a row for strikes and got their third hitter (Cappetta) looking."

As Montini's season ends, Hinsdale Central's continues against Hinsdale South at 4:30 p.m. today at Hinsdale Central.

"After (the Springfield trip) I thought we weren't going to recover," said Leeberg, "but we were able to win 11 in a row and have been playing well ever since.

"We had a good group of seniors, but Cappetta and (Joe) Crotty are coming back and they were both outstanding in this tournament. I am very proud of these guys."

Cappetta is already looking forward to next season.

"I hope this helps us next year and we feel a little hungrier," the junior said.