The Montini Catholic baseball team’s 2026 season ended with a 5-2 loss to Nazareth Academy in a semifinal game at the IHSA Class 3A Nazareth Sectional in La Grange Park on June 3.
The Broncos finished their season with a record of 24-14.
After beating Montini, the Roadrunners of Nazareth Academy went on to win the sectional title on their own field on Saturday, June 6. Nazareth beat De La Salle Institute 3-1 in the sectional final to advance to a super-sectional game against St. Rita at Ozinga Field in Crestwood on June 8. The winner of that contest moved on to this week’s Class 3A state semifinals at Slammers Stadium in Joliet.
Nazareth was the No. 2 seed in its sectional, while Montini was the No. 3 seed.
The Broncos took an early 1-0 lead over the Roadrunners in the post-season battle after scoring one run in the top of the first inning. Montini’s leadoff batter—sophomore Kameron Cox—led off the game with a walk. After stealing second base and third base, Cox scored on a single by senior Nick Mandra.
Junior Johnny Louise was Montini’s starting pitcher in the sectional semifinal. Louise held the Roadrunners scoreless during the first two innings, but Nazareth delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead. The Roadrunners added two more hits and one more run in the inning to build a 3-1 lead through three innings of action.
Nazareth tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend its lead to 5-1. Senior Robert Sansone relieved Louise during that inning. Sansone took the mound with one out and a runner on second base. The first batter Sansone faced executed a near-perfect bunt down the third-base line for a single. After a walk loaded the bases, Nazareth’s next batter hit a two-run double to give the Roadrunners a 5-1 lead.
Louise pitched four and one-third innings and allowed four runs, five hits and two walks. He recorded three strikeouts. Sansone gave up one run, two hits and one walk in one and two-third innings. Sansone struck out one batter.
Montini scored the game’s final run in the top of the seventh inning. Junior Drew Chrastka, who led off the inning, was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second base on a passed ball and moved to third base on Cox’s fly out to deep center field. Chrastka then scored on a wild pitch. The Broncos had a runner on second base with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. The game then ended on a fly ball to left field.
Mandra went 2-for-3 and drove in one run for the Broncos, who connected for five hits in the game. Louise, junior Julio Ayala and junior Jack Spanos provided one hit each.
Montini advanced to the sectional after winning two post-season games and claiming a regional title on its home field. The Broncos defeated Hinsdale South 4-1 in the regional final in Lombard on May 30 to claim the program’s 23rd regional championship.
