Baseball: Burlington Central, Marengo raise money for Alzheimer's research

Burlington Central beat Marengo 5-0 in Saturday's Fifth Annual Game to End Alzheimer's disease, but the game didn't count in the standings.

The contest, played to raise money for researching cures for the illness, was played as a junior varsity one.

"The best thing is we came out here today and hopefully raised several thousand dollars for Alzheimer's research," said Central coach Kyle Nelson. In the past four years, the event has raised $14,000.

It also gave Central players - both varsity and junior varsity - additional playing time as the team heads into the last two weeks of the season.

Tyler Perez earned the win, giving up only three hits in four innings.

"He had a great year for us last year and he has struggled a little bit this year, so it was really good to see him come out and get a good win for us. He looked like he did last year," Nelson said. "He got hit a little bit early in the year and was struggling with his command. He definitely had that back today,"

The third hit the southpaw gave up was a comebacker that struck him on the pitching hand.

"He had to come out," said Nelson. "He doesn't think he will go for X-rays tonight."

Kyle O'Neill took over and pitched two frames in the 8-inning game.

"He's doing a great job this year for us coming out of the pen. He limited his free bases today which was key for him," the Central coach said. "He hasn't given up many hits this year. He's gotten himself in trouble when he has and today he didn't."

The Rockets lead the Kishwaukee Valley Conference with a 9-1 record. Overall, Central, which has a 5-game winning streak, is 13-7.

"I think we have a four-game lead on Richmond. We see them one more time," Nelson said. "I think we're playing our best ball of the year and we will play a better ball as we go along as well."

Central broke the game open in the top of the fourth with a 4-run rally. Ethan Hachfeld plated an additional run in the eighth with a double to the right field gap.

"Offensively, we have been coming around a little bit. We have been taking better at bats," said Nelson. "Some of that just has to do with getting outside, the weather warming up a little bit, seeing more pitches."

"Braden Seyller has been consistent all year at the top of our lineup. Cody Carlson has provided some power in the middle of our order. He has four or five home runs on the year now," Nelson continued. "Colton Wallace has been in the two-hole all year. He's not having statistically the year he would like to, but he comes up with a lot of big hits for us and he still has the kind of power that other teams respect."

Despite committing three errors in the game, the Rocket skipper feels the defense is improving. He thinks limited outdoor practice has impacted the team's fielding.

"Defense has really changed for us as we have gotten outside more, seen more ground balls," Nelson said. "I think we have had only two or three full outdoor practices so just through repetition ... we have played quite a bit better."

Central will compete in the Sycamore 3A regional this year. Nelson sees it as a very competitive one.

"We have a really good sectional as usual. Kaneland is very good. St. Francis is very good. Sycamore and Wheaton Academy are also playing good ball." said Nelson. "So I anticipate it going to be one those where anyone in the top part of the sectional could come out if it."