Author: Chris Seifert

5-27-2010 vs. Bradley Bourbonnais Boilermakers

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Boilermakers	0	1	0	1	0	2	0	4	6	0
NCWHS Wildcats	1	2	0	2	1	2	X	8	13	1

Wildcats Open Regional with Victory

The Normal West Wildcats got a measure of revenge on the Bradley Bourbonnais Boilermakers and their ace, John Fightmaster, beating them 8-4 in the Regional semi-final.  Fightmaster shut down the Wildcats last year in the Regional Final, ending the season.  This year, the Wildcats put constant pressure on the Boilermakers, scoring in five of six innings and leaving nine more runners on base.  The victory bring the Wildcats record to 28-8 on the season.

Kyle Vaughn started on the mound for the Wildcats and kept Bradley pretty quiet for the first five innings.  The Boilermakers applied some pressure of their own in the 6^th, trailing 6-2, by starting the inning with a walk, single and double before Tyler Emmerson relieved Vaughn with one in and runners on second and third.  A couple of short fly balls and a fielder’s choice only allowed one additional run and kept some breathing room for the Wildcats.  Vaughn pitched five innings with four runs on six hits and three walks and three strikeouts.  Emmerson went two innings for the save, only giving up one walk.

The Wildcat offense got on the board first when Brock Stewart singled to right and Jason Cullen got hit by a pitch.  Two wild pitches moved the runners up and brought in Stewart.  In the 2^nd, Tyler Emmerson beat out a chopper for a hit and Michael Collins doubled over the left fielders head to put two men on.  Emmerson scored on a dropped third strike throw to first and Collins scored on an Alex Jefferson single to left.  In the 4^th, Adam Seifert doubled and scored on a Kyle Vaughn base hit up the middle.  Courtesy runner Trey Rogers then stole second base and scored on a Stewart double to right center.  In the 5^th, Jacob Birlingmaier doubled to start the inning and Tyler Emmerson brought home Brandon Brittin, who was running for him, with another double.  In the 6^th, Vaughn singled again to lead off the inning and Rogers, pinch-running now, again stole second base.  An intentional walk to Stewart and single to short left by Cullen filled the bases.  Birlingmaier then took one in the back to score Rogers and Wes Sery drove home Stewart with a single to right.

Vaughn, Stewart, Sery and Emmerson led the Wildcats with two hits on a day when all nine starters had at least one and seven different Wildcats got an RBI.

The Wildcats meet Minooka in the Regional Final on Saturday at 10:00 AM at Minooka.

5-25-2010 vs. Pontiac Indians

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Pontiac Indians	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	3
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	1	2	0	6	X	9	11	0

Wildcats Shut Down the Indians 9-1

The Normal West Wildcats tuned up for regional play on Thursday with 9-1 victory over the Pontiac Indians in a game that felt closer than the final score showed.  Wildcat pitchers dominated the Indians, but the game was still tight until Michael Collins slugged a three-run homer in the bottom of the 6^th inning to give the Wildcats some cushion.  The Wildcats win provides a 27-8 record to close out the regular season.

Matthew James gave up only one run on two hits over the first five innings to earn the win, fanning eight and walking none.  Michael Collins pitched the 6^th and Tyler Emmerson pitched a clean 7^th with one strikeout to keep the Indians in check.

Brock Stewart led the Wildcat offense with two bombs.  His solo shot to center in the 3^rd inning tied the game at 1-1.  In the 4^th, Jacob Birlingmaier singled to lead off the inning.  Brandon Brittin, courtesy running, came all the way around to score when Erik Sipes bunt single was misplayed by Pontiac.  Sipes made it all the way to third and scored on a squeeze bunt by Collins.  In the 6^th, Trey Rogers got hit by a pitch and Wes Sery moved him up with a single.  Then Collins connected on a homer to left.  Brandon Brittin kept things going with a single to center and a stolen base.  Alex Jefferson singled to right to score Brittin before Stewart’s second home run blast, a shot to right center that the outfielders just watched.

Stewart, Birlingmaier and Jefferson led the Wildcats with two hits while Collins had four runs batted in and Stewart had three.

The Wildcats open Regional Play on Thursday at Minooka against Bradley Bourbonnais at 4:30.

5-24-2010 vs. Decatur MacArthur Generals

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MacArthur Generals	1	0	0	0	0	2	0	3	7	7
NCWHS Wildcats	1	0	0	0	9	0	X	10	13	0

Seniors come up big on Senior Day

Seniors Jason Cullen, Michael Collins and Brock Stewart celebrated Senior Day with their bats, leading the Normal West Wildcats to a 10-3 win over Decatur MacArthur to finish out the conference campaign at 12-1 as Big 12 Conference champions.  The win moves the Wildcats overall record to 26-8.

The Wildcats bats started slow, producing only one run over the first four innings, but got very hot in the 5^th to pull away.  In the 1^st inning, Alex Jefferson reached based on an infield error and stole second before scoring on a Jason Cullen double over the centerfielder’s head.  In the 5^th inning, Stewart started the rally with a single.  Cullen then doubled again.  They both scored on a dropped fly by the right fielder.  Wes Sery’s ground ball to second was thrown away to score another run and put him on second.  Michael Collins doubled him in and then scored on a single by senior Brandon Brittin.  An Alex Jefferson single put two men on and Stewart drove home Brittin with a base hit.  Cullen then hit his third triple of the game over the left fielder’s head to drive in two more. Senior Jacob Birlingmaier finished it with a base hit to score Cullen.

Cullen and Collins led the Wildcats with three hits, while Stewart had two.  Cullen also led the Wildcats with three RBIs.

Adam Seifert got the victory on the mound for the Wildcats.  He pitched six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts.  He struck out the side in the 3^rd and was helped by a nice 5-4-3 double play to end the 4^th inning.  Alex Jefferson pitched a perfect 7^th inning with one strikeout.

The Wildcats play Pontiac at home tomorrow at 4:30 in their regular season finale.