Author: Chris Seifert

5-15-2010 vs. Danville Vikings

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Danville Vikings	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	4	8	2
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	3	3	0	0	X	6	4	1

 

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Danville Vikings	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	8	0
NCWHS Wildcats	2	2	0	0	2	0	X	6	10	0

Wildcats Sweep the Vikings

Adam Seifert slammed the door on the Vikings, entering the game in the top of the 3^rd inning with no outs and runs on second and third and a 3-0 deficit.  After allowing one runner to score on an error by himself, he got a strikeout and a pop up to get out of the jam.  Brock Stewart’s three-run homer to center field in the bottom of the inning got the momentum fully on the Normal West Wildcats side as they clinched the Big 12 conference championship with a 6-4 first game victory over the Danville Vikings.  Jason Cullen kept the Vikings bats silenced with five shutout innings to start the second game as the Wildcats went on to a 6-2 win.  The Wildcats are now 25-6 overall and 11-0 in conference.

Seifert gave up a one out double and then a single in the 5^th inning to put runners in scoring position, but a fly to center field and a strikeout ended that threat.  Over his five innings, Seifert allowed only the two hits and struck out six to get the win.  Erik Sipes started for the Wildcats and was charged with four runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout. 

After falling behind 3-0, the Wildcats broke out in the 3^rd inning.  Seifert singled to right before Michael Collins walked.  Stewart then smashed one straight over the center field fence for a real momentum boost.  In the 4^th, Alex Jefferson tripled over the centerfielders head to start the rally.  Wes Sery singled up the middle to score Jefferson and went to second on a Danville error.  Trey Rogers sacrifice bunt was misplayed by the Vikings and Adam Seifert got hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Kyle Vaughn lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Sery and after a balk, a Stewart fly down the left field line scored Rogers.

The Wildcats were held to four hits from Stewart, Jefferson, Sery and Seifert.  Stewart had four RBIs.

In the second game, Cullen handcuffed the Vikings with some defensive help.  In the 1^st inning, a Rogers to Collins to Sipes 4-6-3 double play ended the inning.  Cullen picked off a runner who had singled in the 2^nd inning and regularly got key outs with runners on base.  Cullen picked up the win, giving up five hits and a walk with three strikeouts.  Brandon Brittin closed the door in the last two innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.

Alex Jefferson got the offense started for the Wildcats with a double to right center.  After stealing third base, he scored on a Stewart single to right.  Jason Cullen followed with a single to left and Jacob Birlingmaier placed a bunt single perfectly down the third base line to load the bases.  Erik Sipes drove in Stewart with a fly ball to center.  In the 2^nd, Brandon Zwaga singled to left and scored on an Adam Seifert double to right.  After Jefferson bunted him to third, Seifert scored on a Collins single.  In the 5^th inning, Stewart led off with a single up the middle and stolen base.  Erik Sipes got plunked and then Wes Sery brought them both home with a double to left center. 

Stewart and Jefferson (two doubles) led the Wildcats with two hits while Sery had two RBIs.

Despite the unexpectedly rainy weather, the teams and fans were treated to a playing of “It’s a Sunshine Day” from the Brady Bunch between innings during the second game.  The Wildcats travel to Decatur on Tuesday to take on the MacArthur Generals at 4:30.

5-13-2010 vs. Bloomington Purple Raiders

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Bloomington Raiders	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	2
NCWHS Wildcats	1	5	0	0	1	2	X	9	10	0

Vaughn Shuts Out Purple Raiders

Kyle Vaughn had the howling wind behind him and his fastball popping as he stymied the Bloomington Purple Raiders on three hits over six innings, leading the Normal West Wildcats to a 9-0 victory.  The win raises the Wildcats record to 23-6 overall and 10-0 in the Big 12 conference.  Vaughn raised his team-leading record to 8-1, never allowing a runner past second base as he gave up three walks and had four strikeouts.  Erik Sipes pitched a perfect 7^th inning as well.

The Wildcats played small ball very effectively with the wind blowing in so hard.  In the 1^st inning, Michael Collins drew a walk to start things off.  He stole second and third base before a walk to Jason Cullen put runners on the corners with two out.  When Cullen got caught in a rundown, Collins was able to beat the throw home with all runners safe.

In the 2^nd inning, the Wildcat bats did most of the damage.  Erik Sipes led off with a line drive beyond the shortstops reach and stole second base.  Wes Sery singled to left to put runners on the corners again and then stole second as well.  On a suicide squeeze, Adam Seifert’s bunt was good enough for a hit, again putting runners on first and third.  Seifert stole second before Kyle Vaughn laid down a suicide squeeze to score Sipes.  Seifert then did the very unusual, stealing home by beating the pitch to the plate.  Michael Collins walked on the play and got moved around to third base on a Brock Stewart line single to right.  Stewart took second when the fielder misplayed the ball, leading to a Jason Cullen single to left that scored both Collins and Stewart. 

In the 5^th inning, Jacob Birlingmaier led off with a bunt single before Sipes got hit by a pitch and Sery walked to load the bases.  After a fielder’s choice forced a runner at the plate, Vaughn drove an RBI single to right, making it 7-0.  In the 6^th inning, Stewart led off by getting hit in the back and then stealing second base.  Birlingmaier scored him on a single up the middle.  Courtesy runner Alex Jefferson came all the way around to score on a double by Sery to finish the scoring for the Wildcats.

Jacob Birlingmaier led the Wildcats with three hits while Wes Sery had two and Kyle Vaughn and Jason Cullen both had two runs batted in.

The Wildcats next play the Danville Vikings at home on Saturday at 10:00 in Big 12 action.  Hopefully the day will be calmer after three straight hurricanes at home.

5-11-2010 vs. Bloomington Purple Raiders

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCWHS Wildcats	0	1	0	1	3	0	0	5	9	0
Bloomington Raiders	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2	5	0

Collins Pitches Wildcats Past Purple Raiders

Michael Collins used a sharp breaking curve ball and some sharp defense to shut down the potent offense of the Bloomington Purple Raiders in a key Big 12 Conference matchup at Howard Saar Field in Bloomington.  The result was a 5-2 victory and a two game lead in the conference standings as the Wildcats move to 22-6 overall and 9-0 in conference.  The Purple Raiders drop to 7-2 in conference.

Collins allowed four hits over the first five innings, getting out of a second and third with one out jam in the 2^nd inning when third baseman Wes Sery snagged a line drive and getting a clean 4-6-3 double play to end the 5^th inning.  In the 6^th inning, three walks sandwiched around an Alex Ludwig single brought in a run with one out.  A ground ball to short forced the second out at second base and Collins locked up the next batter with a curve ball for strike three to end the threat.  In the 7^th inning, he fanned the first and last hitter on breaking pitches to end it.  Collins allowed five hits and three walks and struck out four in the complete game victory.

Two deep home runs highlighted the Wildcats offense.  Jason Cullen’s solo shot to center field in the 4^th inning gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead and Brock Stewart two-run homer to center in the 5^th gave the Wildcats some breathing room, making it 4-0.  The Wildcats broke on top in the 2^nd inning when Jacob Birlingmaier led off with a single to center.  Courtesy runner Alex Jefferson moved up to second and third base on wild pitches and scored on an Adam Seifert single to left.  In the 5^th inning, Kyle Vaughn got things started with a walk and moved to second on a Collins sacrifice bunt before Stewart crushed a Dylan Johnson offering for his homer.  Birlingmaier got things started again with a double to right center and scored on a Sery line drive single.

The Wildcats were led by Birlingmaier and Sery with two hits and Stewart had two runs batted in.

The Wildcats and Raiders will meet again on Thursday at West Varsity Field in Normal.