Normal West Baseball

04-17-2010 vs. Champaign Central Maroons

Wildcats Crush the Maroons to open conference play

The Normal West Wildcats jumped on the Champaign Central Maroons early and often in a twinbill sweep, 15-2 and 12-2.  Wildcat bats were hot throughout the day, piling up 27 runs on 28 hits in only eight at bats.  Michael Collins and Tyler Emmerson shut down the Maroons on a day when the wind was blowing hard out to left field, each only giving up three hits.  The Wildcats moved their overall record to 10-5 and 1-0 in conference with the wins.

 In the first game, trailing 1-0, the Wildcats scored four runs in the 1^st inning when Adam Seifert led off with a double and scored on a Brock Stewart base hit.  Jacob Birlingmaier singled to move him up and Erik Sipes brought home Stewart with a single to center.  Kyle Vaughn followed with a single scoring two more.  In the 2^nd, took one in the back to earn first base and moved up on a Brandon Brittin sacrifice.  Adam Seifert bunted for a base hit and Sery scored on a wild throw by the pitcher.  After a Collins walk and Stewart got hit by a pitch, Jason Cullen walked in a run and Birlingmaier drove in one with a fielder’s choice.  Sipes cleaned up the bases with a three-run blast to left.  In the 3^rd, Seifert doubled to short left and circled the bases when the throw to second was errant.  A Collins walk and Stewart single were followed by an RBI single for Cullen, and an error brought in Stewart.  In the 4^th, Vaughn and Sery singles put runners at the corners.  Brittin drove one in with a hit and Seifert followed with an RBI single.  Adam Seifert led the Wildcats with four hits, while Kyle Vaughn had three and Brock Stewart and Erik Sipes had two each.  Sipes had four run batted in, with Cullen and Vaughn getting two each.

Michael Collins had the Maroons in control on the mound, recording his second victory of the year.  He only gave up three hits and one earned run in his five innings of work, striking out six and walking one.

Tyler Emmerson pitched almost identically in the second game, getting his second victory too.  Emmerson allowed three hits, while striking out five and walking two.

The Wildcat offense scored four in the 1^st inning, making it 12 of 15 games scoring at least one run in the first inning.  Kyle Vaughn led off with a single.  Michael Collins sacrifice bunt was thrown away by the catcher and the Brock Stewart brought both of them in with a triple to deep left center.  After a Jason Cullen walk, Birlingmaier drove in Stewart with a ground out.  Erik Sipes singled to move up Cullen and Emmerson brought him in with a single.  In the second, Vaughn doubled to get things going and scored on a Michael Collins double.  Cullen drove him in with a single and Birlingmaier hit a two-run blast out to center field.  In the 3^rd inning, Emmerson singled again and Trey Rogers doubled him home.  Adam Seifert singled in Rogers and after Collins walked, they both moved up on a wild pitch.  Brock Stewart then doubled both of them in. 

Vaughn, Stewart, Emmerson and Rogers each had two hits to lead the Wildcats and all nine starters had a hit.  Stewart had four runs batted in while Birlingmaier had two.

The Wildcats face crosstown rival Normal Community on Tuesday at NCHS at 4:30 in another conference showdown.

04-16-2010 vs. University High School Pioneers

Wildcats whip Pioneers 14-4

 The Normal West Wildcats took advantage of U-High mistakes early to jump ahead and then put the bats to work to finish off the Pioneers 14-4 in six innings.  Kyle Vaughn got his fourth win against no losses and Michael Collins stroked two doubles, driving in three runs to lead the Wildcats.  The victory ups the Wildcats record to 8-5 on the season.

The Wildcats got on the board in the 1^st inning when Adam Seifert led off with a single and Brock Stewart and Jason Cullen walked to load the bases.  A Jacob Birlingmaier sharp grounder to second base was misplayed and two Wildcats scored, leaving runners at the corners.  A successful double steal brought in Cullen and took courtesy runner Tyler Emmerson to third base.  An Erik Sipes infield out brought in Emmerson.  In the 3^rd inning, Sipes singled and moved around on a wild pitch and error before scoring on a Wes Sery single.  After Vaughn walked and Seifert got hit by a pitch, Collins doubled down the left field line to drive in two.  Seifert then scored on a wild pitch.

After having the lead cut to 8-4, the Wildcats got the bats going again in the 5^th inning.  After a Brandon Brittin single, Collins doubled down the line again to drive him in.  Stewart followed with a double off the top of the fence in left center.  Cullen walked and Birlingmaier brought in two more with a double to left center.  The Wildcats ended it in the 6^th inning when Emmerson lined a single to right, Brandon Zwaga singled up the middle, Seifert doubled to right center and Cullen singled to right.

Collins, Seifert and Sipes led the Wildcats with two hits each as eleven Wildcats had a hit in the game.  Collins and Birlingmaier both knocked in three runs.

Vaughn gave up three earned runs on six hits and two strikeouts over five innings.  Erik Sipes pitched the 6^th inning, with one strikeout.

The Wildcats return to action at home tomorrow as they open conference play with a doubleheader against the Champaign Central Maroons at 10:00.