By Mike Clark
Phillip Thigpen’s first walk-off hit in a while came at a good time.
He grounded a single to left with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth, lifting Kenwood past Ogden 6-5 Saturday afternoon in the Chicago High School Baseball Classic at Ozinga Field in Crestwood.
The event, part of the Jackie Robinson Baseball Weekend, was presented by Black Baseball Media in partnership with the Rise 2 Greatness Foundation.
It was the kind of win that could be a springboard for Kenwood, which won its first Public League title last spring but had trouble getting traction this season. And it was a boost for Thigpen, an Eastern Michigan recruit who is one of four Division I commits in the Broncos’ lineup.
“My last walk-off hit, I think, was in eighth grade,” Thigpen said. “We were playing in a travel-ball tournament and I hit a double in the gap.”
Saturday’s hit, he added, “felt amazing because I’m having a lot of stuff going on in my life and to get this walk-off — it really, really helped me.”
Teammate Jimmy Downs, a Northern Illinois recruit, tripled twice for the Broncos (4-7), scored twice and drove in a run for Kenwood. He wasn’t surprised to see Thigpen deliver when it counted.
“Phil, that’s my guy,” Downs said. “I knew he was gonna come up clutch in that clutch moment and I’m proud of him.”
Damaurion Butler went 2-for-3 and scored twice for Kenwood. Michigan State recruit Khamaree Thomas worked three innings in relief for the win. Starter Kevari Thunderbird, who is committed to downstate juco power John Logan, struck out nine and walked one in five innings, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned).
“Man, that’s a big win for us,” Kenwood coach David Reed said. “The intensity — being able to fight late — that’s going to mean a lot for my guys going forward.”
Like Downs, Reed has seen Thigpen grow into his role as a key offensive cog.
“Phillip’s come into his own,” Reed said. “We’ve been telling Phillip to step up: ‘Man, it’s your junior year. You’ve got to be one of the leaders, you’ve been a three-year varsity starter.'”
The vibe wasn’t that of a typical high-school game. It was two top-tier Public League teams playing in a professional ballpark in front of an energized crowd that included several former major-leaguers such as ex-Cub Kyle Farnsworth brought in by event organizers.
“Atmospheres like this (are) what prepare you to win a city championship,” Reed said. “Being around all these people and all this intensity — they get their crowd into it, our crowd comes right back and gets into it — and guys not shying away from the moment.”
Payton Hall was 2-for-4 with an RBI for Ogden (8-7-1), while Nathan Espada went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and two RBI.
Simeon 6, Morgan Park 1
Sophomore Christian Lott pitched five-hit, one-run ball over six innings to earn the rivalry win for the Wolverines (9-5-2, 4-1-1 Jackie Robinson South). He struck out five and walked two.
“Curveball was feeling good today,” said Lott, who also leaned on a fastball and changeup.
The Wolverines opened a 4-0 lead halfway through the third inning and Lott was on cruise control after that. Jeremiah Henry worked a scoreless inning to complete the six-hitter.
“I had a no-hitter earlier this season,” Lott said. “But (this was) most definitely on a bigger stage against a better team — it was the best performance I’ve had this season.”
It also was a special night for first-year Simeon coach Brandon Williams.
“Just to think last year, I was actually up in the stands, doing play-by-play in a booth,” Williams said. “So to go from there to be on the field and in this atmosphere against Morgan Park, against a legend like (coach) Ernest Radcliffe, who coached me many summers ago and I played against — this was amazing.”
Williams loved Lott’s approach to one of the biggest games of his career.
“He told me he wanted the ball,” Williams said. “He wanted his moment and he did not let this moment get too big. He seized it. He came out and dominated. And that’s what we expect out of the big fella.”
Ben Johnson was 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base for Simeon. Christopher Boykin went 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.
Gabe Ramirez was 2-for-4 and scored the lone run for Morgan Park (5-5, 3-2).
Homewood-Flossmoor 8, Lane 7, 8 innings
The Vikings (8-6) walked off the Champions on Kendall Ellis’ bases-loaded single with none out in the bottom of the eighth.
Down 6-5 going into the seventh, Lane (13-5) tied it when Ethan Borggren doubled home Alex Lagges. Tyler Rwakatere-Trapp then scored on a wild pitch to put the Champions up 7-6, but H-F tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
Rwakatere-Trapp went 2-for-4 and scored three runs for Lane, while Borggren was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Sebastian Wilson scored twice and drove in two runs.
Lane was without two injured starters, shortstop Teo Greco and catcher Elias Padilla.
“We’ve got to get better defensively,” Champions coach Sean Freeman said. “As tough as today is, I think sometimes you’ll learn more in a loss than you do in a win. So hopefully going forward, starting next week, we’ll be better for it.”
Photos by Ashley Harris/OSA
Photos by Hezekiah Clark/OSA
