Author: Chris Seifert

04-01-2010 vs. Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin Cyclones

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCHWS Wildcats	2	5	0	7	3	2	X	19	20	3
Griffin Cyclones	0	0	5	3	0	0	X	8	6	5

Wildcats Blow Away Cyclones

 The Normal West Wildcat offense was as hot as the weather, and it was no April Fools joke.  On a sunny, 86 degree day, ten Wildcats got base hits including eight with a multiple hit game.  Jason Cullen carried the largest stick with a pair of 2-run homers and a 2-run single to tally six RBIs on three hits.  Erik Sipes broke out with three base hits and 5-5 on base with two walks.  Adam Seifert added two RBIs to go with his two hits as the Wildcats pounded Cyclone pitching.  Michael Collins, Brock Stewart, Jacob Birlingmaier, Wes Sery and Kyle Vaughn all had two hits for the Wildcats.

Tyler Emmerson started for the Wildcats and gave up four earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts, two walks and a pair of hit batters.  Adam Seifert pitched three innings of relief without giving up an earned run to get the save.  He allowed three unearned runs on two hits, with three strikeouts and a walk.      

The Wildcats move to 3-4 on the season and play at East Peoria on Friday at 4:30.

03-31-2010 vs. Highland Park Giants at Illinois Wesleyan

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Highland Park Giants	4	0	1	3	2	2	1	13	17	4
NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	1	1	1	0	2	5	6	1

Wildcats Get Handled by the Giants

The Highland Park Giants were swinging hot bats on their way to a 13-5 victory over the Normal West Wildcats at Jack Horenberger Field at IWU on a gorgeous spring day.  The Giants raised their record to 4-0-1 while the Wildcats fell to 2-4. 

 Jacob Birlingmaier’s 4^th inning home run off the scoreboard in left center was the offensive highlight for the Wildcats.  Wes Sery singled to left in the 3^rd inning, moved to third base on a Giant infield error and scored on a wild pitch to get the Wildcats on the board.  In the 5^th inning, Erik Sipes doubled down the left field line to get things started and scored on Sery’s second single of the game.  Adam Seifert led off the 7^th by getting hit by a pitch, followed by a walk to Sipes.  After a wild pickoff attempt moved up the runners, Sery got his second RBI of the game with an infield ground out.  Trey Rogers then produced an RBI single to right to score Sipes.

Jason Cullen started for the Wildcats and took the loss.  He pitched four luckless innings, giving up eight runs on eleven hits, with two strikeouts and three walks.  Brandon Brittin pitched the final three innings, recording four strikeouts and only one walk. 

The Wildcats are right back in action tomorrow down at Lanphier Park in Springfield against Sacred Heart Griffin.

03-29-2010 vs. Bartonville Rockets

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCWHS Wildcats	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	6	7	2
Limestone Rockets	2	2	2	0	0	1	X	7	8	4

Wildcats fall to the Rockets 7-6

Baseballs were flying out of the park early and often at Rocket Field in Bartonville on Monday.  Two Wildcat homers and three Limestone shots had the Rockets in the lead 6-5 after three innings.  Both pitchers settled in for some quick middle innings and the Wildcats tied it up in the 6^th, but the Wildcats let the lead slip away to lose 7-6.  

The Wildcats struck again in the first inning with a Kyle Vaughn walk and a couple of Rocket errors loading the bases.  Vaughn scored on a wild pitch before Jacob Birlingmaier launched a three run shot over the right center field fence.  The Rockets tied it up with 2 run shots to left in the 1^st and 2^nd inning by their second baseman.  Jason Cullen gave the Wildcat another lead at 5-4 with a leadoff homer to right center in the 3^rd, but the Rockets got a two run shot of their own that inning.

The Wildcats tied the game in the 6^th on consecutive singles by Erik Sipes, Brandon Brittin and Michael Collins, followed by a grounder up the middle from Tyler Emmerson that the Rockets did not handle. 

Michael Collins started and went five innings on the mound, giving up six runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and a walk.  Erik Sipes was the hard luck loser, allowing an unearned run on one hit and a walk in the 6^th.

The Wildcats fall to 2-3 on the season ahead of a busy week with Highland Park up next on Wednesday at IWU.