Author: Chris Seifert

5-4-2011 vs. Normal Community Ironmen

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCHS Ironmen	0	0	0	0	1	0	X	1	3	2
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	0	4	0	7	X	11	14	2

 

Wildcats Down the Ironmen 11-1

 

The first game of the season against crosstown rival Normal Community Ironmen always brings a little extra tension, and the additional ‘wow’ factor of playing at the Corn Crib, just added more.  The first half of the ballgame only heightened that tension as three and half innings went in the books at 0-0.  Wes Sery broke that tension when he smashed a ground rule double into right center field to put runners on second and third with no outs in the bottom of the 4^th.  The Wildcats put up four runs in the inning and eventually cruised to an  11-1 six inning victory.  The win ups the Wildcats overall record to 19-4 and 5-0 in the Big 12 Conference.  The Ironmen fall to 13-8 overall and 4-2 in conference.

Matthew James picked up the win for the Wildcats on the mound.  He scattered three hits over 5 2/3 innings, getting out of a first inning jam with two strikeouts.  The Ironmen’s only run scored on a bunt single with a throwing error that put the runner on third base, followed by a sacrifice fly.  James struck out nine and walked two.  Adam Seifert pitched one third of an inning, entering with a 4-1 lead in the top of the 6^th.

Wildcat bats were hot in the even numbered innings.  In the 2^nd, the Wildcats got three bats hits but also hit into a double play and had a runner thrown out at third base.  In the 4^th, Adam McGinnis led off with a chopper up the middle for a base hit.  Wes Sery then popped the cork on the offense with his double.  Trey Rogers sacrifice fly to center brought in McGinnis to get the Wildcats on the board.  Adam Seifert’s line drive hit up the middle caught the umpire square in the leg, so Rogers stayed at second.  Erik Sipes then cleared the bases with a triple into the right center gap and scored on James sacrifice fly to center.

In the 6^th inning, the Wildcats smelled blood in the water and went for the kill.  Trey Rogers singled to center to lead things off.  Adam Seifert singled past the first baseman to put runners on the corners and then Erik Sipes capped off his perfect day with a two RBI double to left.  After a balk and a Matthew James walk, a wild pitch brought home Sipes.  Garrett Cook bunted for a hit to put runners again at the corners and Alex Jefferson also bunted for a hit that scored Cook and moved James to third.  Kyle Vaughn drove a triple down the right field line to make it 10-1 with no outs.  After an intentional walk to Sery, Trey Rogers took a walk and the final pitch was a wild one that scored Vaughn for the win.

Sipes led the Wildcats with three hits, while Rogers, Seifert and Cook each had two.  Sipes also led the team in runs batted in with four, while Vaughn had two.

The Wildcats and Ironmen meet again tomorrow at 5:00 at the Corn Crib with the Ironmen being the hosts.

4-30-2011 vs. Champaign Centennial Chargers

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Centennial Chargers	0	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	3	2
NCWHS Wildcats	0	1	6	7	X	X	X	14	10	1

 

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Centennial Chargers	0	1	0	0	0	X	X	1	4	5
NCWHS Wildcats	3	0	4	4	X	X	X	11	11	2

 

Wildcats Corral the Chargers Twice

The Normal West Wildcats felt the Champaign Centennial Chargers would be their first big test in the Big 12 conference.  The Wildcats passed with flying colors, sweeping a doubleheader from the Chargers by the 10-run rule in both games.  The Wildcats maintain the conference lead, along with Mattoon, at 4-0 while moving their overall record to 18-4.

In the first game, Kyle Vaughn dominated the Chargers just like he has for three years.  He gave up three singles, but faced only two over the minimum as the leadoff batter got caught attempting to steal third base in the 1st inning and Kyle started a nice double play in the 4^th inning on a liner back to him.  Kyle also struck out one batter with no walks to raise his record to 5-1.

The Wildcats offense got on the board in the second when Trey Rogers singled to left and stole second base.  Adam Seifert sacrificed him to third and Erik Sipes sacrificed him home on a nice squeeze play.  In the 3^rd, Alex Jefferson led off with a walk and stole second before a Kyle Vaughn singled off the pitcher and stole second as well to put runners on second and third base.  Adam McGinnis drove in a run with a groundout before Wes Sery singled to knock in Vaughn.  Rogers and Seifert then walked to load the bases before Erik Sipes knocked in two with a single to left.  After a balk moved Seifert and Sipes up a base, Seifert stole home off the pitcher for the second time in his career and Sipes came around to score when the ball got away from the catcher and he didn’t chase it very quickly.

In the 4^th, Jefferson started it with a walk and stolen base again.  McGinnis doubled him in with a drive over the rightfielder.  Sery got aboard on an error before Rogers got hit with a pitch.  Seifert’s fielder’s choice drove in McGinnis and Sipes singled again to drive in Sery.  Matthew James knocked in two more with a base hit.  Jake McDowell drilled a single to center to drive in a run and then an infield error brought James home.

Vaughn and Sipes led with Wildcats with two hits each in the game while Sipes had four RBI and McGinnis and James had two each.

 

In the second game, Dustin Detwieler toed the rubber for the Wildcats.  He got his third win of the season by pitching five innings without allowing an earned run on four hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

Alex Jefferson got the Wildcats offense off with a jolt as he smashed a drive over the center field fence into a very strong crosswind.  Adam McGinnis singled to right and came home on a Wes Sery double.  An Adam Seifert infield single scored him.  In the 3^rd inning, McGinnis singled, moved up on a Sery walk and scored on an error before Rogers doubled home Sery.  Seifert bunted for a hit to put two runners on.  James drove in Rogers with a fielder’s choice and Jake McDowell squeezed home Seifert.   Jefferson led off the 4^th with a hit and after Kyle Vaughn walked, McGinnis drove home a run with his third hit of the game.  After an error and a fielder’s choice, a Seifert infield hit loaded the bases.  James singled to drive in the game ending runs for the Wildcats.

McGinnis and Seifert led the Wildcats with three hits while Jefferson had two.  James drove in three runs to lead the Wildcats.

The Wildcats return to action this week against crosstown rival Normal Community with a pair of games at the Corn Crib on Wednesday and Thursday at 5:00.

4-29-2011 vs. Decatur Eisenhower Panthers

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCWHS Wildcats	5	3	1	3	9	X	X	21	18	2
Eisenhower Panthers	0	0	0	0	0	X	X	0	3	3

 

Wildcats Beat the Panthers

The Normal West Wildcats took care of business in Decatur with a 21-0 five inning win over the Eisenhower Panthers on Friday.  Alex Jefferson handled the Panthers on the mound and the Wildcat offense was in high gear in the Big 12 conference matchup.  The victory raises the Wildcat’s record to 16-4 overall and 3-0 in conference.

 

Wes Sery led the offensive charge with four hits, three of them doubles, as he drove in five runs on the day.  Trey Rogers had three hits, including a double over the centerfielder, and a pair of runs driven in, while Alex Jefferson, Adam McGinnis, Adam Seifert and Nolan Caldwell each had two hits.  Seifert also drove in three runs.  Several players got in the act, with Jake McDowell drawing a walk and driving in a run with a line drive single, Nick Barnhill drawing an RBI walk and Jacob Davis driving in a run with a hit batter.

Alex Jefferson picked up the win for Wildcats. He pitched five innings of three hit baseball, with no walks and seven strikeouts.

The Wildcats return to action tomorrow at home against conference foe Champaign Centennial at 10:00.