St. Charles North pressures Neuqua
In two baseball games last year St. Charles North and Neuqua Valley each scored a total of 1 run against each other.
Anyone expecting another pitchers' duel between the Upstate Eight Conference powers Tuesday in Naperville, however, came away sorely disappointed.
The North Stars (7-3, 3-0) claimed a key early victory in their quest for the UEC title with a 7-4 win over Neuqua Valley and junior ace Ian Krol.
Neither Krol (0-1), making his first appearance of the season, nor talented St. Charles North starter Danny Jimenez (2-0) pitched at their peak in the first of two showdowns between the teams.
An aggressive North Stars offense managed 3 runs in the top of the second inning to seize control and extended the margin to 7-1 in the fourth inning.
"As soon as a team draws first blood, that's the key," said St. Charles North sophomore catcher Matt Stevens, who went 3-for-4 with 3 RBI. "Once we started getting hits, it was contagious through the lineup."
Neuqua Valley (6-3, 3-1) tried to rally behind Jason David, who hit a solo homer in the third inning and singled home 2 runs in the fourth to narrow the gap to 7-4. But Jimenez pitched a scoreless fifth inning to close his day, and Zach Hirsch added 2 more scoreless innings to preserve the win.
Five Neuqua Valley errors opened the door for the North Stars, who started the scoring with second-inning RBI singles by Stevens and Brandon Nothnagel.
"I thought St. Charles North had a great game plan, a great approach to the game," said Wildcats coach Robin Renner. "They came in with attack in their minds, and we just kind of let it happen. I don't care how good your pitchers are if they have to throw five or six outs an inning."
In the fourth inning Brian De la Torriente singled home a run and Stevens added a 2-run single. Geoff Rowan's RBI single led to David's 2-run basehit in the bottom of the fourth to pull the Wildcats within 7-4.
Craig Provow pitched well in relief for the Wildcats in 3½ scoreless innings.
"We've been struggling a little bit at the plate, and obviously facing Ian Krol we had a pretty good-sized mountain to climb," said North Stars coach Todd Genke. "My kids did a great job going the other way and going deep in the count. We put some baserunners on and got some timely hits, which we really haven't been getting the last week or so."