‘I wasn’t really nervous’: Carlisle’s strong outing helps Chargers win regional title

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Ethan Carlisle is only a sophomore, but he had the composure of a veteran on Saturday.

Carlisle tossed six shutout innings as the Illini West baseball team defeated Macomb 5-0 to capture the Class 2A Illini West Regional title at Jake Burling Field.

Carlisle’s poise was put to the test in the top of the fifth inning. With the Chargers leading 2-0, the Bombers loaded the bases on a Jack Beal single, a Jaxon Barclay walk and an Isaac Leinbach single all with one out. The next batter — Drew Watson — hit a slow ground ball to Chargers third baseman Wesley Robertson, who charged the ball, squared his feet and fired a strike to catcher Shawn Watkins Jr. to cut down Beal at home.

Leighton Lambert lined out to second to end the inning and strand the tying and go-ahead runs on base.

“I was nervous (during that inning), but I wasn’t really nervous any other time,” Carlisle said.

The Chargers scored three runs in the bottom of that inning to stretch the lead to five.

“That really gave me a lot of room to work with, not as much pressure,” Carlisle said. “I felt really good after that because I knew our chances of winning were pretty good.”

Carlisle allowed a one-out single to Jake Hobson in the sixth but got out of the inning unscathed. Reece Shoup relieved Carlisle after 98 pitches and set down the Bombers in order in the seventh to secure the Chargers’ second regional title on their home field since 2018. Carlisle said he learned quickly that the Bombers were struggling with a particular pitch, and he used his fastball less than he normally does.

“I figured out they had a rough time with my curveball,” Carlisle said. “Against lefties, I like how my changeup tails away from them and drops. I probably used my curveball about 60 percent of the time and (fastball and changeup) 20-20.”

The Chargers only scored one of their five runs on an at-bat that ended with a hit. Nick Johnson and Carter Chapin singled leading off the bottom of the third, then Barclay hit Colby Robertson with a pitch to load the bases. Barclay hit Wesley Robertson, bringing in Johnson for the first run. Two batters later, Carlisle hit into a fielder’s choice to shortstop that allowed Chapin to score the second run.

The Chargers scored another run when Bombers reliever Blaine Eddington hit Carlisle with the bases loaded in the fifth. Nick Bruns then singled to drive in Colby Robertson, and Stephen Sparks grounded into a fielder’s choice on the next pitch, bringing in Wesley Robertson for the fifth Chargers run.

Each of these at-bats would register as a plus on the Chargers’ quality at-bats chart. Chargers coach Zack Burling got some help with this chart from his niece, Annie Burling, who is in the physical education class that he teaches.

“She made a poster for us,” Burling said. “I laminated it and it’s up in the dugout during every game.”

Examples of a quality at-bat — according to the chart — include a hit, walk, hit by pitch, sacrifice fly, sacrifice bunt, advancing the runner, a seven-plus pitch at bat, seeing three pitches after two strikes, and a hard hit ball that results in an out. Zack Burling sets the goal for each game at about 60 percent of the team’s at bats getting a “+” on the chart. He said the Chargers are 24-1 in games when they achieve this 40 percent of the time.

They were 15 for 31 — 48 percent — on quality at bats on Saturday.

“As we get deeper into the postseason, it’s going to be tough to get to that (60 percent) number,” Burling said. “Fifty percent is pretty good, but I set the standards pretty high this year because I feel like we can swing it pretty well when we’re on.”

Still, pitching has been the hallmark of this team, as evidenced by their first two games of the postseason. Bruns tossed a complete game and gave up just one run in the regional semifinal against Eureka.

The Chargers pitching staff has a 2.07 ERA, and opponents are hitting .215 against them.

“That’s a good problem to have as a coach when you have to decide who’s going to pitch,” Burling said.

Much to Burling’s delight, he will have another decision to make when the Chargers take on Rockridge in the sectional semifinal Wednesday at 4 p.m. Chillicothe IVC.