Seventy years after it was started in 1953, Clarendon Hills Little League Baseball captured its first State championship when its 10 and Under team bested Western Springs, 1-0, Thursday Aug. 3 in La Grange Park.

Clarendon Hills went undefeated in three levels of the tournament, compiling a total of 10 wins in District, Sub-State and State, respectively,

The 4-0 record in the double-elimination State competition came after qualifying for that round via the championship of Sub-State play with a 3-0 record, also in La Grange Park. A 3-0 record for district play in Westmont advanced the Clarendon Hills team to the Sub-State level,

“After we won districts, I knew we had a team capable of competing deep into the State tournament,” head coach Brian Herold said. “They showed great resilience and played really well together.”

Herold said the Clarendon Hills team had the benefit of good pitching depth, a strong defense, and no holes in its batting order.

“We felt that our pitching and defense would keep us close in games and that over six innings, our bats would come up with a timely hit,” he said.

Herold said the special part of this team was that each boy had a moment or play that contributed to a win throughout the District, Sub-State, and State tournaments.

“I am proud that they will always be able to look back at this experience and know that over short period of time — five-plus weeks — this summer they committed themselves to each other and had a special journey,” he said. “I hope they will get together in 15 to 20 years and relive the experiences as a team.”

In the State championship win over Western Springs, Matthew Kalish pitched the first four innings and Brody Herold pitched innings 5 and 6. They combined to allow only one hit and one walk, while striking out three.

Clarendon Hills scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning after Liam Harrigan led off with a single. Luca Striltschuck followed with a bunt single to give his team runners on first and second, and Christian Gernot drove in the winning run with a base hit up the middle.

Earlier victories in the State tournament came against Ridge Beverly on Aug. 1, 15-0; Western Springs on July 30, 8-3; and Rock Falls All Stars on July 29, 10-0.

Clarendon Hills won the Sub-State competition with wins July 22-23 over Western Springs, Bartlett and Burbank.

Herold said that throughout the run of 10 wins, top pitchers were Matthew Kalish, Brody Herold and Luke Schaller, and top hitters were Kalish and Herold Jack O’Malley.

Along with Herold, the coaching staff included assistants Brian O’Malley and Mike Harrigan.

The full team roster of players was: Brody Herold, Christian Gernot, Connor Lazar, Hudson Lauerman, Jack Kaczmarski, Jack O’Malley, Liam Harrigan, Luca Striltschuck, Luke Schremser, Matthew Kalish, Luke Schaller, and Sebastian Christensen.

Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.