By Sean Duncan

STANFORD - After the slugfest between two of the state’s top Class 2A programs had concluded Wednesday, Olympia right-handed pitcher Clint Stroud stood with folded arms on the field, glanced up at the scoreboard and shook his head.

“Man, there’s a lot of crooked numbers on that board,” Stroud said. “Not what you would expect.”

Indeed, a combined nine errors and 31 hits were not the formula that made Olympia a two-time defending Class 2A champion, nor Illinois Valley Central one of most successful programs in the state over the last six years. Regardless of what those crooked numbers said, though, they all added up to a 13-8 Olympia victory over No. 8 IVC in a nonconference game that could very well be a state semifinal matchup in about seven weeks.

The two central Illinois powerhouses met in the 2008 Class 2A championship game, with Olympia winning 6-1. What’s more, the two teams have combined to win three state titles in the last four years and, well, you get the point. When these two teams play, it’s not your ordinary nonconference game.

“I can stand here and lie to you and say that this is just another game,” said Stroud, who improved to 4-0 and hit a home run. “No, we wanted to beat them, just as they wanted to beat us. With that said, it wasn’t pretty.”

Olympia (11-3) pounded out 16 hits, eight of which went for extra bases against the Grey Ghosts (14-2). The Spartans tallied three home runs against senior left-hander Cody Kenzel (3-1), who had only allowed one long ball in three highly successful varsity seasons.

“We’ve hit like that in all but the three games that we’ve lost,” said Olympia coach Ron Smith, who’s won three state titles at the school. “It’s been our entire lineup, too. We’ve got pop up and down the lineup. From that standpoint, we’re a dangerous team.”

Five of the Spartans had multiple-hit games. Leadoff hitter and senior shortstop Spencer Pratt went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and three RBI. Pratt’s two-run double started a three-run second inning to tie the game at 4-4. Center fielder Zach Zindel finished 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a home run to lead off third inning. Following Zindel’s blast, senior Josh Zimmer (2-for-4, two runs) and sophomore Zach Talbert (2-for-4, two runs, RBI) singled before senior third baseman Matt Glenn dealt the big blow with a three-run homer, making it 8-5.

“This is like a tournament game,” said Zindel. “They’re equal to us. They’re a great program, like ours. … Our whole order is hitting right now.”

As well as Olympia hit, IVC wasn’t far behind. The Grey Ghosts pounded out 15 hits – only they couldn’t deliver when they needed it most. IVC left the bases loaded in third, fourth and fifth innings and didn’t produce. The Grey Ghosts also ended the game with the bases loaded, and stranded 15 runners for the game.

“Any time you leave nine on in three innings, with less than two outs, that’s eventually going to take a toll on you,” said IVC coach Jerry Rashid. “This was a hitter’s game today, not a pitcher’s game. And our hitters weren’t up to snuff with runners on base.”

Bradley-bound catcher Derek Sprout went 3-for-5 with a two-run bomb in the first inning for IVC. Drasen Johnson went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI single, and junior shortstop Trever Black also had three hits, including a two-run single in the top of the second to give the Ghosts a temporary 4-1 advantage.

Stroud, a Heartland CC recruit, pitched four innings, allowing six runs - two of them earned - on nine hits and struck out two and walked two. Zimmer pitched the final three innings, as the right-hander used a sharp breaking ball to strike out five, including the final batter of the game with the bases loaded.

“I was just trying to keep the game close,” said Stroud. “With an offense like that, and the wind blowing out, we always have a chance.”