The Ironmen celebrate their comeback victory over a surging Huntley Red Raiders’ team. Photo Courtesy of: Charles Green // @crg_mojo

Ironmen baseball erased a four-run deficit and beat the surging Huntley Red Raiders in dramatic fashion at home May 22. Drew Stevens’ game-tying three-run home run in the seventh set up Andrew Naour’s walk-off double as Community rallied past one of the state’s top teams.

With the win in Friday’s regular-season finale, the Ironmen improved to 32-2 and extended their winning streak to 19 games. Huntley fell to 27-7.

The victory added to an already impressive late-season run for Community, as the Iron entered the game coming off a 10-2 win over then-No. 11 Lincoln-Way West on May 20.

Huntley arrived rolling as well. The Red Raiders took the batters box ranked No. 6 in Illinois after a 6-3 win over top-ranked St. Laurence on May 19.

Trailing the Raiders 6-2 after six innings, the Ironmen saved their biggest swings for the seventh.

Pinch-hitter Tyce Beckman opened the inning with a double to right, and Gavin Michaels battled back from an 0-2 count to draw a walk.

Max Heineman then lined a single to center to score Beckman and move Michaels to third, cutting the deficit to 6-3.

That set the table for Stevens, who launched a three-run home run over the right-field fence to tie the game at 6-6. The long ball was Stevens’ second on the year.

Community still was not finished.

After one out, Lucas Beaty singled to left, and Naour followed by driving a 2-0 fastball into the gap in center for the walk-off double.

When Naour stepped to the plate, the senior said, he was focused on keeping the inning alive, not delivering a dramatic finish. The .346 hitter dug into the batters box just trying to stay calm after Stevens’ home run shifted the momentum.

“I was really just trying to breathe,” Naour said. “I was just trying to keep the line moving, not trying to do anything crazy. Definitely not trying to go out there with the mindset that I’m going to win the game. But just trying to get on, keep the line moving.”

Huntley’s pitching staff, Naour said, made the comeback difficult.

Red Raiders starter Nate Larson gave Community problems early, allowing one hit and striking out six in four innings before Huntley turned to Travis Dudycha in relief.

After Community put its first two runners on in the seventh, Huntley went to Josh Rudnick, but by then Naour said the Ironmen had adjusted.

“I think the first two pitchers that we saw really prepared us well for him,” Naour said of Huntley’s closer. “We were able to finally break through.”

Naour is no stranger to delivering in big moments, but he said this one tops them all because of the situation and what it meant personally.

“I think it has to be No. 1,” Naour said. “It felt like a playoff atmosphere. Being able to share that [moment] with my teammates, in my final game at Community, my final at-bat at home, it’s truly a storybook.”

The comeback gave the Ironmen another marquee win heading into the postseason and showed again that Community can respond against elite competition.

“We’re just going to take it one day at a time, one game at a time,” Naour said, “and try and make a run for us and for the community.”

The Ironmen look to extend their win streak to 20 when they open up post-season play Wednesday, May 27 in the regional semifinals at Moline High School at 4:30 p.m. Top-seeded Community will face the winner of Plainfield South (11-17) and Rock Island (8-22).