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Plainfield Central Edges Yorkville in Pitcher's Duel

May 30, 2014

By Ryan Quigley
Scouting Director-Illinois

PLAINFIELD, IL- The Yorkville vs. Plainfield Central regional semi-final started late due to the continuation of yesterday’s semi-final between Waubonsie Valley and Plainfield East, which was knotted at 2 after 13 innings.  But the Foxes and Wildcats didn’t have to wait long to play as Waubonsie finally broke through in the bottom half of the 14th on senior outfielder Drew Ellam’s bases loaded RBI walk-off single to left center field giving the Warriors a hard fought 3-2 victory.

Fans who stuck around for game two on Thursday afternoon were treated to more of the same when it came to solid pitching.  Yorkville junior right-hander Nick Sewruk and Plainfield Central’s senior right-hander Nick Rana battled back and forth throughout, each wiggling out of several jams to keep the score at 0-0 until late.

Plainfield Central loaded the bases in the first and fourth of Sewruk, but each time the 6-foot righty bared down.  In the fourth, with the bases loaded and one out, Sewruk struck out Rana on a curveball down in the zone, and then induced the Wildcats lead-off hitter John Kostelz to ground out to first, keeping the score tied at 0. 

Yorkville’s greatest threat off Rana came in the bottom half of the sixth.  Senior second basemen Zach Aloisio lead off with a single in the hole to short.  Junior designated hitter A.J. Foster completed his 3-for-3 day at the plate with a slash-bunt single through the right side, as Plainfield Central’s second baseman was charging in a bunt defense.  With men on first and second and no outs, junior catcher Nathan Scott successfully sacrificed the runners to second and third, putting Rana in his toughest position of the day.  Christian Carrera, the nine-hole hitter in the Foxes’ lineup, then roped a line drive at Plainfield’s Christian Armstrong; who turned an unassisted double play, putting an end to the Yorkville rally.

Plainfield Central finally broke through in the top half of the seventh, as Kostelz reached first on an infield error with one out.  Centerfielder Danny Brandon (2-for-4 with a bunt single) doubled down the right field line moving Kostelz to third.  Roosevelt University-bound senior shortstop Matt Ryan grounded to short with Kostelz off for home on contact.  Yorkville shortstop Sam Flamini bobbled the grounder slightly, and took the out at first giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead, and all that Rana would need.

Rana overcame his own defense’s error in the bottom half of the setting down the top of Yorkville’s order in succession, ending the game with a flourish on his third strikeout of the day.

Senior first baseman Tom Kinney (Illinois Central College commit) finished 2-for-4 on the day with two singles, while Xavier-bound junior shortstop Sam Flamini reached base three times going 1-for-2 with a single and two walks for Yorkville. 

Rana allowed eight hits and two walks, stranding eleven Yorkville base runners in his complete game shutout with three strikeouts.  Sewruk only allowed four hits, walked three, hit two, and had to overcome three defensive miscues.

The Wildcats (19-12), the No. 12 seed in the Oswego sectional, square off against Waubonsie Valley on Saturday at 11:00 am.  They are seeking their first regional title since 1994.

Yorkville ends its season at 25-10, setting a program record for victories and capturing their second consecutive Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference title. 

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