A 'Super' no-no and Westminster's off to state

They don't wear capes or cowls, but Westminster Christian sophomore pitchers Ryan Perez and Kevin Elder qualify as a truly dynamic duo.

Splitting the pitching workload Tuesday as they have in every postseason game, the two poised, intimidating, young hurlers threw a combined no-hitter in a 2-0 victory against Ottawa Marquette in the Class 1A Benedictine University supersectional in Lisle.

"Coming into a super and throwing a no-no," Westminster coach Jeff Moeller marveled, "I mean, that's... wow. They're a great pair, that's for sure."

It is the second berth in the state finals for Westminster Christian (28-10), which advanced to Joliet as a Class A team in 2007. The Warriors will face Lebanon (18-14) in a Class 1A semifinal at Silver Cross Stadium Friday at noon. Lebanon trailed Jacksonville Routt 6-0 but stormed back with 3 runs in the fifth and a 6-run sixth to win the Springfield supersectional at Lincoln Land Community College.

Perez, an ambidextrous pitcher who threw left-handed against Marquette, spotted a fastball clocked at 86 mph with devastating changeups, a big breaking curveball and occasional knuckleballs. He struck out 6 Crusaders in 4 hitless innings before giving way to Elder.

"We have a philosophy: I go 4 (innings) and (Elder) goes 3," said Perez, who improved to 10-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.35. "The next day I go 3 and he goes 4 just so our arms don't get tired and we don't get worn down."

The shared postseason pitching plan of coach Jeff Moeller and pitching coach Juan Perez worked to perfection as Elder blew away the Crusaders in his 3 innings of work. The right-handed sidearmer hit 89 mph on the radar gun and struck out 8 of the 11 hitters he faced, upping his area-best strikeout total to 144 in 85 innings and lowering his ERA 1.48.

"I came in knowing I could do this," Elder said. "It was just like Ryan; I came in with lots of confidence. All I knew is that I needed to shut the door."

The Warriors scored the only 2 runs they needed in the fourth inning on 3 hits against right-hander Tanner Barra. Junior Frank Oliver reached on a one-out single, and Joe McGannon singled to put runners at the corners. Elder drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly to right field. After McGannon stole second, junior Andrew Mason singled off the glove of diving Crusaders third baseman Joey Ceja to make it 2-0.

"It was low and inside. I tried to hit it down the line and it found a nice spot," Mason said.

Marquette (31-7) had its best chance in the sixth inning after Elder beaned No. 9 hitter Curtis Johnson and issued a walk one out later to Tom Hill. But Elder ended the threat by striking out Mason Snyder on a 3-2 fastball.

Snyder and Ceja, Marquette juniors who have both made verbal commitments to play for Louisville, went 0-for-5 combined and struck out 5 times.

"They were awesome today, very impressive," Marquette coach Todd Hopkins said of Perez and Elder. "They both threw great games. They hit their spots and we never got into any kind of rhythm at the plate. They were definitely the better ballclub today. We played a good game and pitched a great game. They were just better, bottom line."

Elder said he and Perez expect to split 2 more outings this weekend in Joliet as the Warriors, who played errorless defense against Marquette, pursue their first state title.

"We thought it would work and so far it has," Elder said. "We'll keep going with it."