Category: 2011 Varsity News

06-05-2011 vs. Edwardsville Tigers (Sectional Championship)

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NCWHS Wildcats	1	0	0	2	0	3	0	6	12	2
Edwardsville Tigers	0	4	0	0	6	0	X	10	12	0

 

Wildcats Fall to Edwardsville in Sectional Championship

The Normal West Wildcats lost to the Edwardsville Tigers 10-6 on a sweltering Saturday afternoon at Jack Horenberger Field in the Bloomington Sectional Championship.  The Wildcats got on top early, but couldn’t hold on as the Tigers took advantage of a couple of Wildcat mistakes to build a big lead and hold on.  The Wildcats finish the season with a school record-tying 31 wins against 8 losses.

The Wildcats scored first when Kyle Vaughn walked to lead off the game against Tiger starter Javon Boyd.  Alex Jefferson sacrificed him to second and Wes Sery drove him in with a sharp single to right.  After falling behind 4-1, the Wildcats climbed back to 4-3 in the 4^th when Adam McGinnis singled and Trey Rogers singled to put two men on.  Matthew James drove in McGinnis with a base hit down the line, and then stole second to put runners in second and third.  Erik Sipes drove in Rogers with a base hit to center to make it 4-3, but got caught by the Tigers trying to take second on the throw in.

Dustin Detweiler started on the mound and got through a quick first inning, but three walks and three hits led to four runs in the 2^nd.  After a couple of strikeouts, two singles had the Tigers threatening again.  Adam Seifert relieved and got a strikeout to end the threat.  Leading 4-3 going to the bottom of the 5^th, the Tigers had a big inning, sandwiching a walk and three doubles around two errors to plate six and take a 10-3 lead.

The Wildcats fought back in the top of the 6^th when Seifert led off with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Matthew James single to right.  Sipes then walked and both he and James scored on Vaughn’s double to right center, making it 10-6.  The Wildcats didn’t threaten again, though, as Edwardsville brought in 6’ 8” Zach Sedlacek to close out the game.

Kyle Vaughn, Trey Rogers and Matthew James each had two hits to lead the Wildcats as everyone in the lineup got at least one.  Vaughn and James both had two RBI as well.

Dustin Detweiler look the loss for the Wildcats, going 2 2/3 innings with four runs on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts.  Adam Seifert went 2 1/3 innings, giving up six runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.  Kyle Vaughn finished up with an inning of work, giving up two hits and getting a strikeout.

The five seniors – Nolan Caldwell, Trey Rogers, Adam Seifert, Erik Sipes, and Kyle Vaughn – had great careers and will be missed for the leadership and play.

6-02-2011 vs. Moline Maroons (Sectional Semi-Final)

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Moline Maroons	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	1
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	0	0	2	0	X	2	5	0

 

Wildcats Beat the Maroons in Sectional Semi-Final 2-0

Matthew James continued his stellar tournament pitching, shutting out the Moline Maroons in a 2-0 victory, sending the Wildcats into Saturday’s Sectional Championship against Edwardsville.  The game was locked in pitcher’s duel between James and Moline’s Seth Fuller through four and a half innings, until the Wildcats broke loose for the two runs they needed.  Kyle Vaughn had the key double to break the ice.  The Wildcats improve to 31-7 on the year, tying the school record for wins in a season.

James faced only one over the minimum through the first four innings, but faced a threat in the 5^th when Moline got a one-out single and a walk.  James struck out the next hitter for the second out and got a lazy fly to left to end that inning.  After a quick 6^th inning, the Maroons threatened again in the 7^th.  A leadoff single to center was followed by a shallow fly to center by Fuller.  Another single just past shortstop Kyle Vaughn’s glove put two men on before a ground ball to second base for an out moved them into scoring position.  James struck out a pinch hitter, though, on a 1-2 curve ball to end the game.  James gave up five hits over seven innings, walking only one and striking out nine.

The Wildcats bats were not frightened by hard throwing Western Illinois recruit Seth Fuller.    The Wildcats only managed five hits, but only struck out three times and produced a lot of good battles at the plate.  An Alex Jefferson single and Wes Sery walk in the first did not produce anything and a Matthew James leadoff double in the second did not break the ice when he was cut down on a nice play by Fuller on a squeeze attempt.  In the 5^th,  James led off with a single up the middle before Erik Sipes sacrificed him to second.  Garrett Cook’s ground ball to short was thrown away for a key play in the game to put runners on the corners.  Vaughn then doubled into right center to score courtesy runner Ryan Speller and move Cook to third.  Jefferson drove a sacrifice fly to right to score Cook and make it 2-0.

James led the Wildcats with two hits while Vaughn, Jefferson and Seifert had the other.  Vaughn and Jefferson had the runs batted in.

The Wildcats face Edwardsville in the Sectional Championship at Jack Horenberger Field at IWU on Saturday at noon.

5-28-2011 vs. Normal Community Ironmen

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Normal Ironmen	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	0	1	0	0	X	1	7	0

Wildcats Win Regional Championship

It’s good thing Matthew James showed up for the Normal West regional championship game for the Wildcats.  He slugged a 4^th inning home run for the only run of the game and pitched a two hit shutout to lead the Wildcats to their first regional championship since 2007.  The 1-0 victory over rival Normal Community raises the Wildcats record to 30-7 and sets up a sectional semifinal showdown with the Moline Maroons on Thursday.

James had the Ironmen’s number all morning, retiring the first ten batters he faced before Trent Winland blooped a single over first base in the 4^th inning.  James struck out the next two hitters to end that inning.  After a perfect 5^th, opposing pitcher Max Osnowitz lined a single to center to lead off the 6^th.   A failed bunt attempt resulted in the first out, followed by a popup to short and a ground ball to third to get out of that inning.  In the 7^th, a ground ball to short was followed by two strikeouts to end the tense game.  James pitched seven innings, giving up two hits and no walks with nine strikeouts.

The Wildcats had lots of opportunities to get some comfort, but the Ironmen continually made good defensive plays to thwart them.  In the 1^st inning, Kyle Vaugn led off with a single and Alex Jefferson followed with a bunt that was misplayed by the pitcher.  Wes Sery walked to load the bases, but after a fly ball Adam Seifert’s line drive to short turned into a double play.  In the 3^rd, the Wildcats had runners at second and third with two outs when Brent Turner made a big play in the hole to throw the batter out at first and end the threat. 

The Wildcats took the lead 1-0 in the 4^th when James hit a shot right down the right field line.  With the wind blowing in pretty strong from left, it cut across the wind to get out of the park.  The Wildcats left runners at third base and second and third base in the 5^th and 6^th innings respectively as well.  In the end, only the one run was needed.  Kyle Vaughn and Matthew James led the Wildcats with two hits each.

The Wildcats face Moline in the sectional semifinal Thursday at 6:00 at Illinois Wesleyan.  The Wildcats split two games with the Maroons early in the season.