Baseball: Neuqua Valley keeps streak alive vs. Naperville North
If it seems like the unbeaten path for Neuqua Valley's baseball team is getting tougher, it is.
But the Wildcats just keep winning.
The streak is now at 19 straight with Saturday's hard-fought 5-3 DuPage Valley Conference victory at Naperville North.
Neuqua Valley (21-0-1, 12-0) broke a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, and Wildcats reliever Mason LeBreck stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
Saturday was the Wildcats' fifth win by 2 runs or fewer in their last eight games.
"We always find a way to come back and win," said Wildcats catcher Jake Wenz. "We knew we'd have to scrap out there today. We had to find a way to get those extra runs."
The Wildcats and starting pitcher James Kulak led 3-1 until Naperville North (9-10, 9-4) tied it in the bottom of the fifth on a 2-run single by Matt Schwartz. Neuqua Valley reclaimed a 5-3 lead in the sixth when a pair of walks to start the frame led to Wenz' sacrifice fly and a run on an error.
Naperville North kept pressure on the Wildcats the entire game, including the bases-loaded threat in the seventh. The Huskies had a hit in every inning, 9 hits for the game, and 16 baserunners overall.
"We had two bad innings and that'll hurt you against a good team," said Huskies coach Carl Hunckler. "But I love the way we compete, even into the last inning. I love the fact that the kids couldn't care less about who they were playing."
Neuqua Valley jumped to a 2-0 first-inning lead off Huskies starter Brett Grzesiak, who settled down and pitched into the sixth inning. Jack Rigoni and Evan Ranneklev had RBI singles.
After Jack Whitley singled home a run to narrow the gap in the third inning, Noah Herdman boosted the Wildcats' lead to 3-1 with a fifth-inning sacrifice fly.
"We knew it was going to be a tough day to hit for both teams," said Wildcats coach Robin Renner. "It definitely could have gone either way."
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