Waubonsie ends West Chicago's win streak
Conditions were right Friday for an offensive onslaught. And not simply weather conditions.
Waubonsie Valley baseball coach Dan Fezzuoglio, uninspired with the Warriors' aggressiveness in the batter's box, had his boys hacking whiffle balls before boarding the bus for West Chicago.
The Wildcats had shown plenty of punch - but a seventh game in nine days left the pitching thin.
Add a stiff wind blowing out and Waubonsie Valley enjoyed a 19-6 nonconference victory, the Warriors ending it early with a 10-run top of the sixth.
"They really, really worked hard in order to be focused," said a heartened Fezzuoglio. "And when you're focused like that, that's when balls seem to jump, and that's what happened for us today."
Waubonsie Valley (2-2) rapped 15 hits and drew 11 walks off West Chicago starting pitcher John Wehr (1-1) and two relievers.
Jeff Brown drove in 5 runs with a 3-run home run and 2 singles. Ryan Vega and Eric Josupait each drove in 4 runs. Vega knocked a homer, Josupait a triple. Harry Vickers doubled and hit a solo home run over the 350-foot sign in straightaway center.
"It's definitely a hitter's day today with the wind blowing out," Josupait said. "But you can't let that get to you, you've got to focus - bat on ball, move the baseball to the right side, not worry about the conditions and just play the game."
Waubonsie Valley sent eight men to the plate in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead, but West Chicago (6-2) countered in the bottom half to go up 4-3.
West Chicago's first four batters - leadoff man Jerrick Habecker, Dan Sauer, Al Robbins and Kevin Peterson - tallied the Wildcats' 6 runs and all 6 hits.
"We've just got to keep swinging the bats. We've been playing good," Sauer said after his club's six-game win streak ended.
Waubonsie Valley scored 4 runs in the third inning and added 1-spots in the fourth and fifth to lead 9-4. West Chicago threatened in the fifth on Sauer's 2-run home run. Still with no outs, Robbins walked.
"And what happens," Wildcats coach Dan McCarthy said. "Kevin Peterson hits a bullet to the shortstop and they turn a double play. Blair Skarin, next hitter, hits a bullet, the first baseman dives, makes a great play. So you're a couple inches away from being right back in the baseball game."
The Warriors provided pitcher Sean Smith (1-1) added security with their 10-run sixth, sending 16 men to the plate including three walks, two hit batsmen, and 2-run hits by Vickers, Vega and Josupait.
"(Smith) fought through some things and continued to get better, and we kept scoring runs and adding on, which is really, really key," Fezzuoglio said. "Right now I'm pretty pleased going into next week before we go into conference."