Neuqua Valley 4, Collinsville 0

URBANA -- One hit was all Neuqua Valley starting pitcher Ian Krol needed from his teammates to lead the Wildcats to their second straight supersectional title.

Chris Kruppe's 2-run home run put Neuqua Valley (32-6) ahead in the second inning.

The junior Krol took care of the rest, throwing a complete-game shutout against Collinsville to lead the Wildcats to a 4-0 victory at Illinois Field.

Neuqua Valley will play Prairie Ridge at 7 p.m. Friday in semifinal action at Silvercross Field in Joliet.

Krol (8-1) struck out a season-high 14, with eight batters looking at strike three -- as the defending Class 2A Wildcats continued their quest for the 4A crown this spring.

Krol said the warm weather aided his sizzling outing.

"I was just in the mode," Krol said. "This 82-degree weather, wow, it's perfect. It gets you loose deeper into innings."

Krol got into trouble early, walking the bases loaded in the second inning with no outs. But he fanned the next two batters looking and got a groundout to retire the side without damage.

"It's happened before, but I don't get worried that much," Krol said of the second-inning jam. "I'm not a nervous kind of guy."

Wildcats coach Robin Renner said he had a pitcher warming up in the second inning because Ian "just wasn't himself."

But Krol was nearly perfect after that.

"As the game went on, he got stronger and more confident and throwing more strikes," Renner said. "From the third inning on, he started getting ahead of hitters, and it made all the difference in the world."

Krol did not give up a hit in the final five innings and allowed only two runners to reach base, a hit batter and a walk.

Illinois coach Dan Hartleb watched Krol's performance from the press box, radar gun in hand.

The Wildcats managed 8 hits against a Collinsville defense that made two over-the-shoulder catches and one diving stop on a line drive down the first-base line.

But no Kahok could catch blasts from Kruppe and catcher Geoff Rowan.

Kruppe's third home run of the season in the second was followed by a 2-run, fifth-inning homer by Rowan, who finished 3-for-4.

"That's the only place (Rowan) could have hit it without them catching it," Renner said.

The Wildcats head to the state finals with experience and confidence on their side.

"It's funny, because with our guys, it's not a huge wow, we won the World Series-type thing," Renner said. "It's okay, that's another step to where we want to go. They expect to be here, which is good.

"We've been there," Kruppe said. "We've done it. I think we can do it again."