The moment wasn’t too big for Mundelein senior catcher Brandon Marano, not by a long shot.
The bases were loaded when Marano faced Palatine senior left-hander Toby Peterson, a Kentucky recruit, in the first inning of the Class 4A Palatine Regional championship game on Saturday.
“Walking up to the plate felt very surreal,” Marano said. “I did my normal routine, took a deep breath and knew to be ready. It was the first pitch, and I saw that it was middle-middle. I didn’t swing as hard as I could and was just thinking to get the bat on the ball and it’ll go.”
In fact, it went all the way to the fence in right-center field for a bases-clearing double. Marano’s hit was the first salvo in what became an eight-run inning in Mundelein’s 8-4 win.
“As I was rounding first and heading for second, I picked up coach at third and looked back at the fans and saw them going crazy,” Marano said. “I knew it would get all three in.
“After all the hard work and effort I’ve put in over the last 12 years, it came down to that moment, making everyone happy and knowing that I did that. I did it for more than just me.”
The Mustangs (24-10-2) have been the beneficiaries of the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Marano’s good deeds all season as he has developed into a steady offensive force, most often hitting fifth in the lineup, and helped guide a deep, talented pitching staff.
“Pitchers have confidence in his ability to smother pitches in the dirt, and he still keeps improving on the communication side in being able to help navigate the staff through games,” Mundelein coach Randy Lerner said.
On Saturday, Marano’s defensive prowess accounted for three outs on the base paths. He threw out one runner at second base on a steal attempt, did the same after blocking a ball in the dirt that trickled a few feet away, and back-picked a runner who got caught in no man’s land between first and second.
“My hit catalyzed the energy we had, but I had one of my best defensive games too,” Marano said.
Heading into a Stevenson Sectional semifinal matchup against North Suburban Conference rival Lake Zurich on Wednesday, Marano is hitting .347 with a .445 on-base percentage and a team-best 32 RBIs. The double against Palatine was his 14th of the season, and he also has a triple and two home runs.
Marano had a similar batting average last season but far fewer at-bats. He took hold of the starting job in the second half of the season, a positive step that left him wanting much more.
“One big difference from last spring to now is that I felt like I had to prove myself,” Marano said. “At the end of the day, I wasn’t where I wanted to be. I still had to get my extra work in at the gym, and I still had to get extra swings in.
“All of the time, energy and emotion I put into the game is paying off.”
Emotion is a big part of Marano’s contributions to the Mustangs, not only in how he works with pitchers but also in how he makes sure everyone in the dugout is invested.
“He’s kind of our glue guy,” Mundelein senior pitcher Joey Kafka said. “Even my parents will say that things are completely different when he’s not around. He anchors us down as a team.”
Emotion came into play in a different way during Mundelein’s game against crosstown rival Carmel on May 1. Marano went through his typical game-day routine, going home during a free period to grab his baseball gear. On this day, he was met by his parents, who were sitting on the couch waiting for him. They told him their 12-year-old dog, Wrigley, had to be put to sleep.
When Marano returned to school, he learned he would catch for only part of the game. So as he went to the plate with the bases loaded and the Mustangs trailing 5-1 in the fourth inning, he knew it would likely be his last at-bat.
“The first pitch was a curve that he hung, and I hit it over the left-center field fence,” Marano said. “I think it was the first home run I had hit since I was like 12.
“When I stepped on home, I leaped into Baris Brua’s arms and hugged him. I let all the emotion out.”
The Mustangs rallied to win 10-6.
Not every game has been so noteworthy, but Marano’s work with Mundelein’s pitchers behind the scenes has had a significant impact on them.
“He didn’t start the whole year last year, and I think he took that personally,” Kafka said. “He’s pretty much caught all of us since we were like 8, and he worked his tail off this offseason, catching all of our bullpens twice a week. He recognizes when our pitches are a little off, and he’s the first one to tell us.”
Marano, who will attend Tennessee, won’t play college baseball. He may join a club team but knows it won’t be the same as what he has experienced at Mundelein. His constant companion through it all has been his catching equipment.
“I wouldn’t be the player I am today without catching,” Marano said. “If you do something good at catcher, everyone sees it, and it can work against you, too, if you do something wrong. But I love that about the position.
“I’m putting everything I have into the game right now.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
