Neuqua Valley, Mt. Vernon punch tickets to Joliet

By Drake Skleba
Senior Writer

For Games from Monday June 4

CLASS 4A SUPERSECTIONAL

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SUPERSECTIONAL (TUESDAY JUNE 4 4:30)

No. 8 Neuqua Valley 5 vs. No. 4 Moline 2
Neuqua Valley (30-9) spotted Moline (26-10) a 2-0 lead after one inning and then rolled past the Maroons 5-2 to punch the Wildcat’s ticket to Joliet on Friday.  Dylan Goss led the Wildcat attack with a two singles a double and drove home a pair of runs. Illinois Wesleyan-bound RHP John Vik totally shut down Moline after the rough first inning and went the distance allowing two runs and three hits. Purdue-bound Jeff Evak added three singles scored two runs and plated another. Neuqua Valley will meet No. 1 Mount Carmel (32-8) in the first Class 4A semifinal around 4 at Silver Cross Field in Joliet.

CLASS 3A SUPERSECTIONAL

SAUGET SUPERSECTIONAL (TUESDAY JUNE 4 5:00)

No. 20 Mount Vernon 6, No. 12 Bloomington 1
Mount Vernon (31-8-1) rolled past Bloomington (28-10), behind a three-hitter from Ram senior RHP Tyler Ellis. Ellis struck out five and walked one. The lone Purple Raider run was unearned as Ellis improved to 8-2 on the season.

Ram senior catcher Collin Young plated the Ram’s first run of the game on an RBI single and red-hot Hayden Poninski, put the game away for the Rams with a booming two-run double in the sixth.

The Rams will meet No. 5 Joliet Catholic Academy (23-14) at around 1 on Friday at Silver Cross Field in Joliet. The PBR will have complete-coverage of the 2013 Class 3A/4A Finals in Joliet on Friday and Saturday.