Author: Chris Seifert

03-27-2010 vs. O’Fallon Panthers

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCWHS Wildcats	1	0	1	4	0	0	1	7	12	1
O’Fallon Panthers	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	1

Vaughn Shuts Down the Panthers

 Kyle Vaughn tossed a six hit shutout against the O’Fallon Panthers on Saturday, leading the Wildcats to a 7-0 victory.  Vaughn went the distance, giving up six hits and four walks while striking out three.  He was helped by two ground ball double plays, including a comeback 1-6-3 double play to end the game. 

Michael Collins and Brandon Brittin led the potent offensive attack with three hits each.  Brock Stewart and Jason Cullen each had two hits, while Jacob Birlingmaier hit his first home run of the year.  The Wildcats jumped out to a lead in the first when Collins singled and later scored on a Cullen double.  The lead grew in the 3^rd when Stewart led off with a single and came around to score on a Wes Sery base hit. 

The Wildcats had a big inning in the 4^th as Adam Seifert got on my getting hit.  After Erik Sipes bunted him over, Brandon Brittin brought him in with a base hit.  Michael Collins singled next and then Brittin scored on a double steal.  Collins scored on a Stewart base hit and Jason Cullen brought Brock around with a double.  Jacob Birlingmaier closed out the scoring with a solo shot to right.

The Wildcats even their record at 2-2 with the win.

03-24-2010 vs. Lincoln Railsplitters

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
NCWHS Wildcats	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	3	6	0
Lincoln Railsplitters	1	1	0	0	3	0	X	5	8	1

Railsplitters best Wildcats 5-3

 

Despite Jacob Birlingmaier’s two hits, including a double, the Normal West Wildcats suffered a 5-3 loss to the Lincoln Railsplitters on Saturday in O’Fallon.  The Wildcats, playing as the visitors, got on the board in the 1st inning for the third game in a row as Michael Collins led off with a double.  After walks to Kyle Vaughn and Brock Stewart loaded the bases, a Wes Sery ground ball brought in Collins.   After Lincoln tied the game in the bottom of the 1^st, Jacob Birlingmaier doubled to start the 2^nd and Tyler Emmerson brought him home with a double of his own.  Lincoln tied the game in the 2^nd as well.

The Wildcats resumed the lead in the top of the 4^th when Adam Seifert singled, got moved around on a Birlingmaier single and eventually scored on a wild pitch.  Unfortunately that was all the scoring for the Wildcats, despite threatening with a couple of runners on base in the 6^th.   

Tyler Emmerson pitched the first five innings and took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.  Brandon Brittin pitched the 6^th for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats dropped to 1-2 on the season.

3-24-2010 vs Morton

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Morton Potters	1	0	2	1	0	0	0	4	4	4
NCWHS Wildcats	3	0	0	0	2	0	X	5	6	7

Wildcats Beat Morton 5-4 in Home Opener

The Normal West Wildcats got clutch pitching and timely hitting down the stretch in a 5-4 victory over the Morton Potters.  Erik Sipes pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball to get the win, allowing no hits and striking out four, including a key 4^th inning strikeout with the bases loaded.  He gave up two walks and hit a batter.  Jason Cullen started on the mound and pitched well, only allowing two earned runs on four hits with four strikeouts.  Cullen and Sipes stranded eight Potters on the bases over the first four innings to keep the game tight.

Wildcat bats again struck early, scoring three in the bottom of the first inning.  Michael Collins led off with a double down the right field line.  Kyle Vaughn’s sacrifice bunt was thrown away by the pitcher to score Collins and put Vaughn at second base.  Vaughn came around to score on two wild pitches.  Wes Sery kept the threat going with a walk and was moved up on a Jacob Birlingmaier single to left.  An Adam Seifert grounder to short was misplayed to bring Sery home. 

In the 5^th inning, the Wildcat took the lead for good when Brock Stewart led off with a shot off the center field fence for a double.  Jason Cullen followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners before a Wes Sery ground ball scored Stewart with the tying run.  Sery took second on the play on a bad throw by the shortstop.  Adam Seifert singled up the middle to score Sery with the go ahead run. 

Brock Stewart led the Wildcats with two hits and a walk while Jason Cullen reached base three times on a hit and two walks.   

The Wildcats get right back into the action, playing Lincoln and O’Fallon in back to back games at O’Fallon on Saturday.