Nolan Nawrocki's clutch hit puts Chaminade in CHSAA state baseball final
Chaminade’s Nolan Nawrocki (center) is mobbed by teammates after his bases loaded single wins the game in the CHSAA baseball state semifinals at St. John's University on June 10, 2022. Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Sitting in the dugout, JJ Gatti knew.
Even before Nolan Nawrocki stepped into the batters’ box, Gatti was certain what was about to happen.
“I had the utmost confidence. It was almost like the game was already over,” Gatti said a few minutes after Nawrocki’s single in the bottom of the eighth scored Michael Sweeney with the only run in Chaminade’s 1-0 win over St. Joseph Collegiate Institute in the first of two CHSAA semifinal games Friday afternoon at Jack Kaiser Stadium at St. John’s University.
Chaminade advanced to the CHSAA state championship game Saturday at St. John’s, where it will meet either Iona Prep or Monsignor Farrell, who played in the second game on Friday.
“Not done yet,” Nawrocki said.
In part because of the senior’s late-game exploits. After Marauders reliever Joe Stumpo walked Brady Steinert to load the bases, Nawrocki drilled a liner over rightfielder Jeremy Connor for the game-winning RBI.
It was the second time in as many games that an opponent intentionally walked Steinert to get to Nawrocki. And it was the second time in as many games that Nawrocki immediately made an opponent regret its decision.
“After [the 5-1 win over Kellenberg on May 31], I would have said that I think teams [would have] learned but evidently not,” Gatti said.
While Nawrocki was mobbed by teammates, it was Gatti who gave the Flyers a chance.
Selected by coach Michael Pienkos to start the game against the Buffalo-based program, all Gatti did was throw eight shutout innings, limiting the Marauders to one hit and three walks.
“From day one of tryouts we had talked about winning the state championship and being the first New York state Catholic champions,” said Gatti, who in his previous start threw a complete game against Kellenberg on May 30 at Hofstra that propelled the Flyers into a winner-take-all showdown the following day for the NSCHSAA championship against the Firebirds.
“It was in my hands to put us in position to do exactly what we set out to do and there’s no denying it, either.”
As strong as Gatti was, he was aided by his defense. Starting with catcher Brian Heckelman, who threw out Chris Casarsa and Anthony Greco, both trying to steal second in consecutive at-bats in the third inning.
In the top of the seventh, rightfielder Evan Boschnagel snared a shot off Connor’s bat and threw to first to double up pinch runner David Alessi. One inning later, Steinert started a 4-6-3 double play to end what would be St. Joseph’s best scoring threat.
“Any ball that goes up, there’s a hope in my mind that it’ll find the gloves somehow because our guys cover so much ground,” Gatti said.
