Baseball: Neuqua Valley reverses results
A year ago Neuqua Valley's players and coaches walked off this same field feeling - in their own words - drubbed and embarrassed.
Facing the same team responsible for that feeling on Saturday, the Wildcats were determined not to let it happen again.
Neuqua Valley won the baseball program's fifth sectional title with a 5-3 victory over Plainfield North in the second straight meeting between the powerhouses in the Class 4A Oswego final.
Unlike last season's 11-3 loss to the third-seeded Tigers (28-10), No. 1 Neuqua Valley (35-1) took control with a 3-run bottom of the fourth inning on Tim Schneider's run-scoring fielder's choice and back-to-back RBI singles by James Gargano and Ryan Wheeler.
"We got a rematch and we took advantage today," said Wildcats starting pitcher Justin Hicks. "Coming back from last year was tough. We just wanted to beat them that much more."
The Wildcats, who tied the program record with their 35th victory, never let Plainfield North come closer than 2 runs away after the fourth inning. Not with Hicks pitching five solid innings to get the win and Mason LeBreck closing with two more for the save.
Every player in the lineup reached base for Neuqua Valley, an impressive feat considering the Tigers hadn't given up a run in three previous playoff games despite the recent loss to injury of ace pitcher Brady Corrigan.
Tyler Cristofaro added an insurance run with a fifth-inning RBI single. It turned out to be valuable as the Tigers scored unearned runs in the fifth and sixth inning.
"It really helped getting our leadoff guys on, and we just tried to get them around," said Schneider, who also drove in the Wildcats' first run with a second-inning sacrifice fly. "Against a team like this we have to get runs any way we can. We were embarrassed last year and we wanted to bring our 'A' game today."
Next up for Neuqua Valley is St. Laurence (34-5), a 2-1 winner over Brother Rice. They'll square off in the Standard Bank Stadium supersectional at 7:30 p.m. Monday with a berth in the state semifinals on the line.
"(The seniors) were in this situation last year and they know what it was like to walk off the field a loser," said Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner. "They work with the younger guys very well and keep them locked in and keep them focused. They are the consummate senior leaders."
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