Benet junior Nathan Cerocke started his first varsity season just trying to earn his keep.

Cerocke has done much more than that, not only playing wherever he has been asked to go on the field but also taking over the leadoff spot in the lineup.

“The most important thing as a leadoff man is getting that first hit,” he said. “I love being up there trying to do that. It gets everyone going.

“It’s kind of a cycle of events that happen after you do that, and I’m happy I’m able to help the team.”

Kick-starting the offense like he hoped to do, Cerocke went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored as Benet defeated Cary-Grove 11-6 in a Class 3A state semifinal at Duly Health and Care Field in Joliet on Friday.

Senior shortstop Ethan Mendez added two hits and two RBIs for the Redwings (27-12), who advanced to play St. Laurence (36-5) in their first state championship game on Saturday. Benet baseball had the chance to match Benet boys basketball, which won the 4A state title on March 15.

“This team is awesome, and I’m so happy to do it with these guys,” Cerocke said. “It’s like a brotherhood.

“Being able to be at state my first year on varsity is unbelievable. It’s something you dream about as a little kid, and it’s crazy to think that it’s coming true.”

Cerocke led off the game with a single and scored three batters later on senior center fielder Josh Gugora’s fielder’s choice. Cerocke then led off the third with a double and scored on Gugora’s single, starting a four-run rally that gave Benet a 5-2 lead.

“The pitcher had a good off-speed, and I swung and missed, but on the next pitch he threw it again, and I took advantage of it and put it up the middle,” Cerocke said of his first hit. “The double — that one felt good.”

Cerocke added an RBI single in the seventh, when Benet scored five runs to break a 6-6 tie.

Cerocke also made the most significant defensive play in the previous half-inning. The Trojans (25-13) had tied the game and had runners on the corners with one out.

Junior pitcher Lucas Kohlmeyer was summoned to replace junior Ben Clevenger, who had started the inning in relief of Northwestern-bound senior Jake Rifenburg. On Kohlmeyer’s first pitch, a slow roller was hit to Mendez, who combined with Cerocke and sophomore first baseman Quinn Rooney on a 6-4-3 double play.

“Right before that, we had a little meeting, and Ethan said, ‘The ball is going to come to us, and we’re going to get two,’” Cerocke said. “That’s exactly what happened.

“It came off my finger tips a little weird, and thankfully we have him (Rooney) at first base, and he came up and scooped it and made me look good.”

Cerocke hasn’t needed much help. He landed at second base for the playoffs, but he started the season at shortstop and also made stops at two outfield spots along the way.

As was evident on the double play, Cerocke and Mendez have formed a solid tandem in the middle of the infield.

“Nate’s a tough little guy, a teammate I can really rely on,” Mendez said. “I love playing with him.

“And he helps us out so much on offense. He’s going to battle and allow us to see a lot of pitches. He really does everything for us.”

Like any first-year varsity player, Cerocke was a bit of an unknown when the season began. But the coaching staff quickly learned his versatility made him valuable. His offensive productivity has been important too. He started Friday batting .306 with a team-high 35 runs.

“We were kind of picking and choosing where to play him through the year as we were finding our groove,” Benet co-coach Jorge Acosta said. “About three-quarters of the way through the season, you could see him getting more comfortable.

“He’s a gamer and has been a big catalyst for us the last few weeks.”