Neuqua Valley Wildcats show group effort, holding off Naperville Central
Every year Neuqua Valley baseball coach Robin Renner says his team needs someone unexpected to step up for the team to be successful.
Every year it seems to happen, and this season looks no different.
Four pitchers combined on a shutout - dodging danger along the way - as the Wildcats held off visiting Naperville Central 3-0 on Saturday.
The names may not sound familiar, but Wildcats pitchers Chris Widup (1-0), Drew Sutton, Kevin Clendening and Craig Provow got the job done against a Naperville Central (4-2) lineup that couldn't take advantage of opportunities.
Widup got the win after scattering 6 hits in 4 innings. Coming off shoulder surgery, it was his first start in two years.
"We did everything right today," Widup said. "We played defense, we got situational hitting. Everyone picked each other up. We just made the right pitches."
In five innings Naperville Central put the leadoff man on base. In three innings the first two batters reached safely.
From that point on Neuqua Valley (3-1) buckled down.
It began in the second when the Wildcats turned a 3-6-1 double play. In the fourth right fielder Joe Ippolito threw out a runner at the plate.
Catcher Alex Lincoln threw out a runner trying to steal third in the sixth inning. The defensive effort was capped in the seventh when the Wildcats turned a 1-6-3 double play.
Six Redhawks runners were stranded and four were cut down on the basepaths. Wesley Webb and Bobby Czarnowski each had 2 hits.
"I thought we had some good at bats, we had some disappointing at bats," said Redhawks coach Bill Seiple. "I don't like losing, but ultimately this is going to be good for us. You've got to play good people and you've got to be able to make plays."
Ippolito singled home runs in the first and sixth innings off Redhawks starter Pat Kaminska (0-1), who pitched well in 5 1/3 innings. Kyle Mener provided the other run with a second-inning homer.
"I really need to get that curveball working, and they definitely picked up on more mistakes than we did," Kaminska said. "More things went their way so kudos to them."
With Ian Krol suspended for the season and Indiana recruit Mike McKinley missing the first seven games, the Wildcats' pitching depth couldn't emerge at a better time.
"They were knocking on the door, it seemed like every inning, and we made a pitch," Renner said. "Things just happened in our favor."
BOX SCORE
Neuqua Valley 3, Naperville Central 0
Naperville Central 000 000 0 -0-8-1
Neuqua Valley 110 001 X -3-6-1
2B: NV: Lincoln.
HR: NV: Mener.
WP: Widup (1-0); LP: Kaminska (0-1); Save: Provow.