Nazareth shuts out Sycamore to return to Class 3A title game

Nazareth’s Finn O’Meara (32) helps John Hughes (22) celebrate after pitching out of an inning without giving up a run to Sycamore. (Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times)

Sycamore threatened defending Class 3A state champion Nazareth in the first inning Friday, but Roadrunners starting pitcher John Hughes survived unscathed.

Then the Spartans had runners on second and third with no outs in the third before Hughes retired Sycamore’s third, fourth and fifth hitters to end the threat.