Category: News

5-8-2010 vs. Harrisburg Bulldogs

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Harrisburg Bulldogs	0	0	0	2	0	1	1	4	6	0
NCWHS Wildcats	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	2	5	1

Wildcats Lose Tight One to Undefeated Harrisburg

The Normal West Wildcats had their opportunities to give Harrisburg their first loss of the season in the semifinals of the O’Fallon/Troy Triad Baseball Classic Saturday at Blazier Field in O’Fallon, but couldn’t quite pull it off.  The 4-2 loss for the Wildcats dropped the overall record to 20-6 and ended a 16 game winning streak while raising Harrisburg to 31-0.

The Wildcats took an early lead against Bulldog ace Reid Roper in the 1^st inning.  Michael Collins drew a one out walk and stole second base.  Brock Stewart singled off the first baseman’s glove to put runners on the corners before Jason Cullen got hit by a pitch.  Jacob Birlingmaier then got hit in the back as well to bring home Collins, but the Wildcats couldn’t capitalize with any more.  In the 2^nd inning, Tyler Emmerson singled off the pitcher and moved up on an Adam Seifert sacrifice bunt.  Kyle Vaughn lined to center field for a single, putting runners on the corners before a Collins walk loaded the bases.  Stewart then drove in Emmerson with a ground ball fielder’s choice to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

Tyler Emmerson started on the mound for the Wildcats and got through the first three innings untouched, with the help of some excellent defense.  Wes Sery started two 5-4-3 double plays and a third force out at second on a great backhand play, as well as getting a force at third base to end an inning.  In the 4^th, after a double and a walk, the only error on the game hurt the Wildcats.  A sacrifice bunt was thrown into the right field corner, allowing both runners to score and the bunter to third base.  Emmerson, though, got a strike out, ground ball back to himself and pop up to limit further damage. 

In the 5^th inning, the Bulldogs threatened with a one-out walk and a single before Emmerson was lifted for Kyle Vaughn.  After walking the first batter, Vaughn got out of the bases loaded jam by inducing a ground ball to Sery for a force at the plate and a pop foul that he caught himself.  In the 6^th, though, a Cain Sheldon drive to the short right field fence just got over to put the Bulldogs up 3-2.  They tacked on one in the 7^th inning, before the Wildcats threatened in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, Collins got hit by a pitch and Brock Stewart hit one deep to left center that looked like it might go out, but landed at the fence for a double.  Unfortunately, Roper struck out the last two Wildcats to end the game.

Emmerson pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowed 2 unearned runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts.  Kyle Vaughn took the loss, giving up one run on one hit and two walks with a strikeout in his 1 1/3 innings.  Erik Sipes finished for the Wildcats, going 1 1/3 innings with a run on one hit and two walks. 

Stewart led the Wildcats with two hits, including a double, while he and Birlingmaier drove in runs.

The Wildcats will face O’Fallon in the third place game later today.

5-7-2010 vs. Urbana Tigers

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NCWHS Wildcats	3	5	3	0	0	0	4	15	14	1
Urbana Tigers	0	0	0	2	0	1	1	4	4	5

Wildcats Blow Away Tigers

Playing both a Big 12 Conference game and a first round game in the O’Fallon/Troy Triad Baseball Classic, the Normal West Wildcats jumped top early on another howling windy day to beat the Urbana Tigers 15-4.  The Wildcats scored eleven runs in the first three innings and never were threatened in improving the conference record to 8-0.  The overall record moved to 20-5 after their 16^th win in a row. 

 

Kyle Vaughn started on the mound and pitched three almost perfect innings, only allowing a two-out single in the 3^rd.  Kyle struck out three to get the win.  Freshmen Alex Jefferson worked two innings, giving up two runs on a hit and two walks with two strikeouts.  Sophomore Ryan Speller made his varsity debut, going an inning with one run on one hit and one walk, while Brandon Brittin finished up the 7^th inning with one run on one hit and a walk and a strikeout.

Wilcat bats got thing going early.  Kyle Vaughn led off the 1^st inning with a single and moved up on a Michael Collins sacrifice bunt and wild pitch.  Brock Stewart walked and stole second base before Jason Cullen drove them both in with a single.  He came around to score on a misplayed popup.  In the 2^nd, Wes Sery led off with a double to left center and moved to third on a Tyler Emmerson infield single.  After Emmerson stole second, and Adam Seifert ground ball fielder’s choice scored Sery.  Seifert moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Vaughn single to right.  Stewart then walked and Cullen hit a towering three-run homer to left field.

In the 3^rd inning, Sery led off with a single and Emmerson and Vaughn walked to load the bases.  Collins drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and then Stewart did the same and Vaughn scored on a wild pitch.  In the 7^th inning, Collins led off with a single before Stewart walked and Cullen singled to load the bases.  Jacob Birlingmaier’s triple to left center cleared the bases and he scored on a Trey Rogers ground out.

Cullen led the Wildcats with 4 hits, while Vaughn had three and Sery two.  Cullen had five runs batted in and Birlingmaier had three.

The Wildcats will play undefeated Harrisburg in the semi-finals at Blazier Field in O’Fallon tomorrow.

5-6-2010 vs. Decatur Eisenhower Panthers

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NCWHS Wildcats	2	0	1	8	3	X	X	14	14	0
Eisenhower Panthers	0	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	1	0

James Shuts Down Panther in Varsity Debut

 

Freshman Matthew James’ varsity debut was a striking success.  Fanning nine hitters in a complete game one-hit shutout, James got the win for the Wildcats.  A 3^rd inning line drive to left field was the only hit the Panthers got, and a walk and two hit batters were all the other runners allowed in a 14-0 win.  The Wildcats improve to 19-5 on the season and 7-0 in conference play.

The Wildcats took advantage of a relatively calm day to hit a lot of line drives.  Brock Stewart doubled to deep left in the 1^st inning and scored on a Jason Cullen single to left.  After Cullen stole second base, he scored on a fly ball error by the Panthers.  In the 3^rd, Adam Seifert led off with a double into the left field corner, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on a Michael Collins sacrifice fly to center.  In the 4^th, Trey Rogers single was followed up by a Brandon Zwaga blast over the left field fence for a two-run homer.  Seifert got the rally started again with a single.  Collins walked and Stewart brought both of them home with a deep triple to right center.  After Cullen walked, Jacob Birlingmaier singled Stewart home and Wes Sery hit a three run in the park homer to the monstrous left center at Stephen Decatur field.  In the 5^th inning, Alex Jefferson led off with a walk, followed by an Erik Sipes single.  Drew Filosa singled to drive in Jefferson.  Kyle Vaughn then singled in Sipes and moved Filosa to third base.  Tyler Emmerson wrapped up the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left to bring in Vaughn.

Stewart, Cullen, Seifert and Rogers led the Wildcats with two hits each while Sery had three runs batted in and Stewart and Zwaga had two. 

The Wildcats return to action tomorrow in the O’Fallon/Troy Triad Baseball Classic in O’Fallon facing the Urbana Tigers in a first round matchup that also counts in the conference.