03-19-2011 vs. Moline Maroons at Galesburg
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| NCWHS Wildcats |
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| Moline Maroons |
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Wildcats Open Season With 4-2 Victory
The Normal West Wildcats got a real test against the Moline Maroons, but passed it with a 4-2 victory. On an early Saturday morning at sunny, but cool Galesburg, the Wildcats broke open a tight game in the 5th inning with 2 runs and closed the door on the Maroons in the late innings to open the season.
The game set up to be a pitchers duel between Wildcat ace Kyle Vaughn and Moline fireballer Seth Fuller, with a nice breeze at their back. Through four innings that held true as the Maroons were scoreless on one hit and the Wildcats had the lone run on two hits. Adam McGinnis singled in the 2nd inning and moved up on an infield ground out. When the next batter struck out, but the catcher missed the ball, the batter got in a rundown between first and second base and allowed McGinness to score on a wild throw.
In the 5th, Erik Sipes led off with a walk before a Matthew James grounder was misplayed by the Maroons putting runners on first and second. A wild pitch moved them up before Garrett Cook’s dribbler up the first base line had the pitcher hitting Cook with his throw and Sipes scoring when the 1st baseman couldn’t come up with it quickly enough. Alex Jefferson laid down a nice squeeze bunt to drive in James to make it 3-0.
The Maroons struck back in the bottom half with a walk and single, before another single brought both runners in. A Wildcat error put runners on second and third with one out, but Matthew James struck out the 4 and 5 hitters to get out of the jam. James set down six of the final seven hitters in the next two innings to close out the game.
Kyle Vaughn pitched 4 1/3 innings to claim the victory, allowing two runs on three hits with two walks, a hit batter and three strikeouts. James got the save by going 2 2/3 innings and only allowing one hit batter and striking out three.
The Wildcats got an insurance run in the 7th inning when Alex Jefferson singled to left field and scored on an Adam Seifert double over the left fielders head.
Adam McGinnis led the Wildcats with three hits.
The Wildcats will see the Maroons again right away on Tuesday in their third game of the season.