Mario Medina makes big plays again for Mount Carmel in the Class 4A state semifinals. ‘A rock for our team.'

Throughout Mount Carmel's playoff run to get back to state for the first time in 11 years, Mario Medina has been a steady leader behind the plate.

The senior catcher is the kind of guy who doesn't always say much but still keeps his team calm and focused. Bringing the Caravan back to state meant everything to him.

"It was a big game and a special moment," Medina said. "I've been with these guys for four years and these are like my brothers. There was nowhere else I'd want to be."

Medina did his best to push Mount Carmel over the top Friday night.

The Davenport recruit had one of the Caravan's three hits and made a big defensive play with a tag at the plate but it wasn't enough to overcome defending Class 4A champion Libertyville, which pulled out a 3-1 win in a semifinal at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.

Notre Dame recruit Connor Elenteny struck out five over six innings for the Caravan (30-11), allowing three earned runs on six hits. Illinois commit Joey Ireland doubled and drew an RBI walk, while Triton recruit Logan Fernandez chipped in with a base hit.

"I just wish I could do more," Elenteny said.

Mount Carmel will take on Naperville Central (30-10) at 7 p.m. Saturday in the third-place game.

The Caravan, however, did not give up their championship dreams without a fight. Trailing the Wildcats (30-10-1) by a 3-0 margin entering the seventh inning, Mount Carmel drew three walks while Pancho Vazquez was hit by a pitch and eventually came around to score.

After the Caravan pulled within 3-1 and had the bases loaded, Aksel McKnight got Fernandez to fly out to center field to end the game.

"I was saying the whole time, ‘We've got to find a way,'" Ireland said. "We almost found a way there at the end. I was proud of the guys. We fought all year.

“That was just what we've been doing all year. We just came up a little short."

Medina teamed up with senior right fielder Haiden Lajcin for a huge defensive play in the third inning.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Lajcin caught a fly ball and fired a strong throw toward home where Medina caught it and dove to apply the tag just before Braden Tolzien touched the plate.

That kept Mount Carmel's deficit at 3-0.

"I saw the ball go out there and I was just thinking, ‘Four, four, four,'" Medina said. "The throw was there and I just had to dive in for the tag. It definitely felt like a big momentum shift."

Mount Carmel coach Brian Hurry was fired up.

"That was an unreal play by Haiden and Mario," Hurry said. "A great throw and a great tag."

Medina has been making those kinds of plays his whole career - all the while guiding a highly successful pitching staff.

"I've tried to step up as a leader this year," Medina said. "I don't know if they felt it, but that's what I tried to do."

Elenteny confirmed that the rest of the Caravan certainly did feel it.

"He's the best that you can get," Elenteny said. "He doesn't say much but he's still the biggest leader on the field. He's been like a rock for our team. There's nobody else I'd rather throw to."

Mount Carmel has been led by a large group of seniors, many of whom have been on varsity for three or four years.

They get one more game together Saturday.

"They've certainly made their mark on a program that has a lot of tradition and a lot of pride," Hurry said. "Over the last three or four years that I've taken the field with these guys, it's a lifetime of memories."

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