Irish right-hander takes steam out of Chargers’ attack in Class 2A sectional championship

CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — Jack Livengood did what no one else could.

The Peoria Notre Dame junior right-hander quieted the Illini West baseball team’s attack.

Livengood retired the Chargers in order the first time through the lineup, didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning and authored a three-hit shutout in Saturday’s Class 2A Chillicothe IVC Sectional championship, leading the Irish to a 2-0 victory.

The Chargers hadn’t scored fewer than four runs in any game in the 12-game win streak they carried into Saturday and only scored fewer than four runs once all season — a 4-2 loss to Quincy Notre Dame on the road in mid-April.

Illini West had outscored its three postseason opponents 20-3 and outhit them 28-16.

The sectional championship game proved to be an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel.

Chargers right-handed starter Ethan Carlisle allowed two hits and one earned run over six innings, striking out five and walking three. Livengood struck out six, walked none and threw just 71 pitches over seven innings.

The Irish grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first. Lawson Alwan walked with one out, Thomas Mickels walked and Jackson Campbell doubled to left field. Carlisle settled in after that, retiring the Irish in order in each of the next four innings and setting down 13 batters in a row.

In the sixth, PND’s Bryton Blackford led off with a single, and one out later, Alwan reached on an error that put runners at second and third. Illini West intentionally walked Mickels, and Campbell hit a ground ball to shortstop Colby Robertson for a force out at second base, but the Chargers couldn’t turn the double play. That allowed the Irish to add an insurance run.

In the top of the seventh, Carlisle singled with two outs, but a groundout ended the game.

Carter Chapin and Wesley Robertson each had a single for the Chargers.

Illini West ends its season with a 28-5 record, the second most single-season victories in program history.

Peoria Notre Dame (22-10) advances to the Class 2A Geneseo Super-Sectional where it will face Wilmington (26-1) at 1 p.m. Monday.