In a chain of events that seemed to be from a movie script, the Hawks battled from 10 runs down to come back and win, 13-12.

Usually the comeback would be the story, but on this night it was both overshadowed and intertwined with the historic effort of Sean Holbrook (Niles, IL/Niles West High School) and Tyler Spiecker (Romeoville, IL/Romeoville High School). The sophomore duo have been a huge part of the Harper program over the past two seasons, and on this night they each had the opportunity to play all nine positions in a single game.

Holbrook started his day in the infield, working his way from 3B -> 2B -> SS, before heading out to the outfield from RF -> CF -> LF. He finished off the game by playing 1B in the 7th, pitching the 8th, and then catching the final frame.

Spiecker went did the opposite, and started in the outfield, moving from RF -> CF -> LF, and then coming in to play all 4 infield positions (3B -> SS -> 1B -> 2B). In the eight inning he put on catchers gear for the first time in his life, and then proceeded to pitch the last inning.

None of this would have been possible without the Herculean comeback staged by the Harper hitters. Entering the 7th inning, the Hawks trailed 12-2 and faced the very real possibility of the game being called due to the mercy rule. It was only fitting that Holbrook led off the inning, and his walk sparked seven consecutive hitters reaching bases, six of which scored. George Betevis (Hanover Park, IL/Bartlett High School), Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, IL/Schaumburg High School), Michael Budorick (Glenview, IL/Glenbrook South), and Kyle Odeshoo (Arlington Heights, Illinois/Prospect High School) all recorded hits, while Holbrook, Ehinger Adrianza (Miami, FL/Felix Varela Senior High), and Micah O'Neal (Forest Park, IL/Guerin Prep High School) all reached via walk or hit by pitch. Justin Cappis (Chicago, IL/Niles North) added a sacrifice fly to close out the scoring and bring the Hawks within four runs.

Shawn Lacy (Champaign, IL/Centennial High School) pitched a scoreless seventh for Harper, and the offense capitalized by scratching across two more runs with the key hit being an RBI double by Adrianza.

Sean Holbrook (Niles, IL/Niles West High School) made his pitching debut in the eighth inning, and retired three straight Cardinal hitters on only six pitches.

In order for Holbrook and Spiecker to get their chance to play all nine positions, the Hawks needed to score at least two runs in the top of the ninth. The duo got things going when Spiecker put together a great at-bat to draw a walk, and then Holbrook followed up by getting hit by a pitch. After a couple quick outs and another walk, Justin Gadomski (Schaumburg, IL/Schaumburg High School) came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Just as he has done all season, the shortstop delivered with a base clearing triple that put the Hawks up 13-12.

With Holbrook now the pitcher of record and in line for the win, Spiecker came out of the bullpen in an attempt to nail down the save. He looked the part right away when he struck out the first two hitters on only 8 pitches. In a game that was already full of excitement, he wanted to make sure that everyone was on the edge of their seat as he walked the next three to load the bases.

Finally, on the sixth pitch to the sixth hitter of the bottom of the ninth inning, Spiecker induced a flyout to Micah O'Neal (Forest Park, IL/Guerin Prep High School) in left field to close out the game. Read Full Article