Waubonsie Valley senior Danny McGuigan didn’t see a lot of playing time until late in the regular season.
He was used mainly as a pitcher out of the bullpen.
But Waubonsie Valley coach Bryan Acevedo saw something in the Aurora University commit and decided to try him as the designated hitter.
“On Saturdays, when he got some opportunities, he hit some baseballs hard, and we liked his approach,” Acevedo said. “We gave him some opportunities a couple weeks ago as the DH, and he hasn’t left the lineup.”
McGuigan left the bench only four times on Thursday, but he took advantage of his chances. He went 3-for-4 with a career-high four RBIs to lead the 10th-seeded Warriors to a 7-1 victory over sixth-seeded Naperville Central in the Class 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional semifinals.
McGuigan’s two-out, bases-loaded double in the top of the first inning plated the first three runs of the game. He blooped the hit into a perfect spot about a foot inside the right-field line.
“I was lucky on that one,” he said. “I think it was a change-up away, and I tried to foul it off, but it stayed fair.
“That felt great. It set the tone for the rest of the game, and it really hyped me up as well as the team, so I was really pumped up by that.”
The three runs were more than enough for senior right-hander Owen Roberts. The Indiana State commit pitched a three-hitter with two walks and 10 strikeouts and also went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Warriors (20-12), who advance to play third-seeded West Aurora in the regional final at 11 a.m. Saturday. Roberts improved to 7-2.
Junior infielder Casey Cooperkawa scored an unearned run in the sixth for the Redhawks (20-16). By that time, Waubonsie Valley was comfortably ahead, and it all started with McGuigan’s big hit.
“That helped us to wake up because the energy was low,” Waubonsie Valley senior third baseman Hiroshy Wong said. “When we scored that three runs, we got excited, we got happy.”
Wong is happy to see McGuigan succeed.
“Being a DH is really tough because your only job is hitting, as you know,” Wong said. “He had a slow start, but he never gave up.
“As they say, the game always comes back to you. So he’s been working really hard in the cages, and it’s paying off right now.”
McGuigan got hits off three pitchers. He had an RBI double and scored in the fifth inning and singled in the seventh.
“I’ve got to stay locked in on the other pitcher, taking it at-bat by at-bat,” McGuigan said. “So before my first at-bat, l just really try to zone in and figure out how I’m going hit him and see what he’s throwing.”
McGuigan’s hitting prowess isn’t the only new wrinkle for the Warriors. He was seen wearing a striped tie in the dugout after each of his hits.
“Our manager, Matthew Choi, used to dress up in a shirt and tie for big games, and today he just brought the tie and used it as kind of like the celebration chain type of thing you see in the NFL or Major League Baseball,” Acevedo said.
Just like that, a new tradition appears to have begun.
“It started out of nowhere,” McGuigan said. “Matthew just brought it out and put it on one of the poles and started putting it on everybody who hit.”
Expect McGuigan to continue as the DH.
“He’s got a really good mentality for it,” Acevedo said. “He’s kind of a goofy kid, but he’s able to lock in in spurts.
“We talk about team mystique in our program and for guys to take the next step as a senior, and he’s definitely done that for us this year.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
