Junior second baseman Brady Holland took ownership for his first trip to the plate for Mount Carmel. He struck out lunging at a pitch by Whitney Young junior left-hander Marcus Garton.
But if at first you don’t succeed …
“That first time up he struck me out, but it gave me a chance to see all of his stuff, his pitches and what he was throwing,” Holland said. “The next couple of times up, I had much better swings.
“I was just seeing the ball so much better.”
The payoff came in the seventh inning Wednesday as Holland hit a walk-off RBI double for the host Caravan in clinching a 3-2 win in a Class 4A Mount Carmel Regional semifinal in Chicago.
Junior outfielders Logan Fernandez added a big RBI for the fifth-seeded Caravan (23-13), who advanced to play at 11 a.m. Saturday in the regional final against Lyons (22-10-1).
Holland finished 2-for-3 with the RBI double Wednesday, while junior right-hander Jake Matise pitched a complete game, striking out four and scattering five hits and three walks.
Junior designated hitter Pancho Vazquez led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk for Mount Carmel and went to second base on a single by Fernandez. It also set the stage for Holland.
“When it’s late in a game like that and there are people on base, I knew my teammates did their part getting on,” Holland said. “I decided to do mine.”
Vazquez had no doubt Holland was ready for the moment.
“I knew we were in good hands,” Vazquez said. “He’s gritty, he works hard and he hustles. He’s somebody you always want on the field. That was a beautiful hit to go the other way.”
In his second varsity season, Holland hopes his game-winning hit mirrors the surge of the Caravan’s run last spring to the supersectional. He’s also learned from this ride.
“To be honest, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs this year and I didn’t exactly play the way I wanted,” Holland said. “The one big difference is the power. Last year, I had zero home runs.
“I got into the weight room, put on 40 pounds, and this season I hit three home runs.”
Coping with the mental demands and satisfying expectations are often the hardest part, according to Mount Carmel coach Brian Hurry.
“Baseball is a tough game,” Hurry said. “It’s about staying even keel during the ups and downs, the peaks and valleys. Brady’s fought through adversity and done it the whole year.
“He made adjustments from at-bat to at-bat. That kid for Young was a tough pitcher. Brady’s hit just speaks to his mental toughness.”
Holland, who lives in Beverly, balanced playing basketball and baseball his first two years at Mount Carmel. Baseball is his first love, a game that he started playing seriously at age 8.
As illustrated by his showdown with Garton, Holland loves the comeback nature of the game.
“Baseball is such a competitive sport, and when you think about it, everything comes down to you versus the game,” Holland said. “In that situation, I don’t think anybody could beat me.”
That desire has been evident from the start. Holland has childhood memories of getting emotional if he lost at cards.
“Any sport I’m down to play, whatever it is — pingpong, basketball, football, I love to play it all,” he said. “I gave up basketball, but I’m thinking of making a comeback next year.
“It has really helped with my athleticism and coordination.”
Baseball is personal, though, for Holland. Every opportunity offers personal redemption.
”Last year I think I was pretty shy, a role player not a leader, but now I have become more outgoing,” Holland said, ”When I’m playing baseball, I’m so much more confident.
“It just helps me express myself.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
