Neuqua Valley, South Elgin split
There was talk Saturday, after South Elgin and host Neuqua Valley split a doubleheader, of the Class 4A sectional pairings just recently released.
However, a couple of weeks remain until the postseason begins and both the Storm and the Wildcats are right smack in the middle of a conference race that could get hotter.
South Elgin won the opening game 9-5 with Neuqua Valley taking the nighcap, 5-2.
Both squads have other Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division business to take care of Monday with Neuqua at Bartlett and the Storm playing host to East Aurora, before the Tuesday rematch in South Elgin.
After Saturday’s split, the Wildcats stood at 15-5-1 and 7-5-1 in league play. The Storm stood at 16-5-1 and 10-5-1 and has played three more conference games so far than Neuqua.
There remains plenty of conference baseball left, but a win Tuesday would go a long way in helping secure a UEC Valley title.
“We need to win two out of three from them,” Neuqua shortstop Tanner Giesel said matter of factly.
In the opening contest some good hitting by the Storm and three errors by the Wildcats defense helped South Elgin prevail. In the last two innings the victors had four RBI hits, including three in the four-run sixth inning that put South Elgin in the driver’s seat.
The Storm’s Jake Buhman finished with 3 RBI in Game 1 with one coming on a sacrifice fly and another on a groundout.
“We did a nice job (in that first game), got some key hits and scored some runs,” South Elgin coach Jim Kating said. “And we capitalized on the mistakes they made.”
Andrew Perry was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Marty Knuth who went five innings.
The big inning for Neuqua was its half of the fifth when it scored three runs to tie the game at 5-5.
RBI hits in that inning came from Jeff Samuel, Drew Bailey and Andrew Skowronski.
“We didn’t play very good baseball in that first game. It’s not good to play like that and still expect to win,” Neuqua coach Robin Renner said.
In the nightcap Alex Bucz moved to 6-0 on the season with a five-inning performance that included 10 strikeouts. Nick Blackburn finished up the final two innings.
“Alex has been good all year. He’s not overpowering, but he locates well,” Renner said.
A single to right by Giesel, his third hit of the day, and a sacrifice fly by Ryan O’Keefe led to a 2-run third inning that gave the Wildcats a 4-2 advantage and the team stayed in control from there.
Kenny Lowden had 3 hits in the opening game for the Storm. Bailey did as well for Neuqua.
Nate Garris was 5-of-8 for the day for the Storm.
“I came around. I found my swing. I practice it every day,” he said.
After Tuesday’s big game, Neuqua hosts Bartlett the next day and Waubonsie on Thursday before a doubleheader at Waubonsie on Saturday. The Wildcats, seeded fourth in in their own sectional, could face the 14th-seeded Warriors in a Lockport regional semifinal later this month.
The Storm, seeded second in the DeKalb sectional, play host to Metea Valley on Thursday before a road doubleheader against the Mustangs on Saturday.