Category: 2010 Varsity News

5-25-2010 vs. Pontiac Indians

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
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.

5-22-2010 vs. Lyons Township Lions

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NCWHS Wildcats	0	0	0	0	2	0	1	3	9	3
Lyons Township	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	5	5	1

Walk Off Beats the Wildcats

A walk off three run homer with two outs in the bottom of the 7^th inning led the Lyons Township Lions to a 5-3 victory over the Normal West Wildcats at Lyons.  The Wildcats looked to have the game in hand, but a couple of late errors gave the Lions extra opportunities and they took advantage, scoring four runs in the last at bat.  The loss drops the Wildcats to 25-7 while the Lions move to 23-10.

 The game was a matchup of team aces that lived up to its billing.  Kyle Vaughn tossed the first four and two thirds innings, giving up one run on three hits.  Jason Cullen came on and got the Wildcats out of the 5^th inning with a runner on and closed the door in the 6^th before giving up four unearned runs in the 7^th on only two hits.  The outfield worked hard all day, recording thirteen outs, including a diving stab by Tyler Emmerson in right field.

After falling behind 1-0, the Wildcats came right back in the 5^th inning to take the lead.  Kyle Vaugn led off with a walk and got moved to second by Michael Collins.  With two outs, Jason Cullen singled to right to score Vaughn.  Jacob Birlingmaier then doubled off the center field wall to score Cullen with the go ahead run.  The Wildcats added a run in the 7^th when Brock Stewart singled, Cullen singled to left and Birlingmaier brought him in with a single to center.  Birlingmaier led the Wildcats with three hits while Stewart and Cullen had two each.  Birlingmaier also had two runs batted in.

The Wildcats return to action on Monday at home for Senior Day against Decatur MacArthur, which was rained out last Thursday.