BLANCHARDVILLE - The fourth-seeded Pecatonica baseball team got their postseason run started off on the right foot with a 10-1 win over Southwestern in a Division 4 regional quarterfinal.
The Vikings got off to a quick start, scoring four in the first inning and two in the second to take a commanding 6-1 lead after two innings. Pec tacked on two more runs in both the fourth and sixth innings. Brooks Chandler and Jacob Scoville led the way offensively for Pec, as both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
"We put the ball in play. We only struck out twice tonight," said Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen. "That was the key thing: putting the ball in play. We had five guys with RBIs. It was a group effort, not just one big hit."
Drew Schliem started on the mound for Pec and went the distance. He gave up one earned run on four hits and one walk. He also struck out nine Wildcats.
"Drew pitched a very good game. He was in total command on the mound," Strommen said. "We played good defense. We only had one error behind him."
Strommen said the Vikings were solid in every aspect of the game.
"All three of those things (hitting, pitching, fielding) are kind of a blueprint for success. It was a good way to start tournament play," he said.
Pecatonica returns to action on Tuesday, when they will play at top-seeded Benton-Shullsburg. The Vikings dropped a doubleheader to the Miners on April 26.
"They've only lost one game all year," Strommen said of Benton-Shullsburg. "They're a high-quality team. We have to play like we did tonight. Put the ball in play, play good defense, get great pitching. If we do what we did tonight, we'll be in the game."
Belmont 3, Argyle 2
ARGYLE - The Argyle baseball team just couldn't get their bats going against Belmont Thursday night and the Orioles were eliminated in their playoff opener.
Kyle Van Bogaert started on the mound for Belmont and threw the first three innings, giving up two runs (none earned) and just one hit. He was relieved by Jeremy Richardson, who threw four hitless innings to close out the game while striking out nine. Argyle coach Chuck Bredeson said there wasn't much of a difference between the two pitchers.
"We couldn't hit either one of them," Bredeson said. "Every ball we put in play seemed like a weak ground ball back to the pitcher. They both threw well. I think that was their plan: half a game with each of them."
A Brock Bruehlman double was the only hit for the Orioles.
"We played (Belmont) in a double header," Bredeson said, adding that Argyle won both games, "and we only had three hits in each of those games. We knew both of them were decent enough pitchers. We had to come in to the playoffs hitting the ball, and we didn't do it. I'm pretty sure the only thing that left the infield was Brock's double."
Alec Treuthardt started on the mound for Argyle. Treuthardt threw six innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and six walks. He also struck out nine. Colton Ploessl tossed a scoreless seventh in relief.
Argyle finished the season with a 9-9 record, a vast improvement from their 2-21 campaign a year ago. Bredeson said that there was no disappointment after getting a No. 3 seed.
"We knew it was going to be tough ... there's no sour taste at all," he said. "We had an overall decent season. We finished second place (in the Sixth Rivers East). Nine wins with no seniors and one junior is pretty damn good."
The Vikings got off to a quick start, scoring four in the first inning and two in the second to take a commanding 6-1 lead after two innings. Pec tacked on two more runs in both the fourth and sixth innings. Brooks Chandler and Jacob Scoville led the way offensively for Pec, as both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
"We put the ball in play. We only struck out twice tonight," said Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen. "That was the key thing: putting the ball in play. We had five guys with RBIs. It was a group effort, not just one big hit."
Drew Schliem started on the mound for Pec and went the distance. He gave up one earned run on four hits and one walk. He also struck out nine Wildcats.
"Drew pitched a very good game. He was in total command on the mound," Strommen said. "We played good defense. We only had one error behind him."
Strommen said the Vikings were solid in every aspect of the game.
"All three of those things (hitting, pitching, fielding) are kind of a blueprint for success. It was a good way to start tournament play," he said.
Pecatonica returns to action on Tuesday, when they will play at top-seeded Benton-Shullsburg. The Vikings dropped a doubleheader to the Miners on April 26.
"They've only lost one game all year," Strommen said of Benton-Shullsburg. "They're a high-quality team. We have to play like we did tonight. Put the ball in play, play good defense, get great pitching. If we do what we did tonight, we'll be in the game."
Belmont 3, Argyle 2
ARGYLE - The Argyle baseball team just couldn't get their bats going against Belmont Thursday night and the Orioles were eliminated in their playoff opener.
Kyle Van Bogaert started on the mound for Belmont and threw the first three innings, giving up two runs (none earned) and just one hit. He was relieved by Jeremy Richardson, who threw four hitless innings to close out the game while striking out nine. Argyle coach Chuck Bredeson said there wasn't much of a difference between the two pitchers.
"We couldn't hit either one of them," Bredeson said. "Every ball we put in play seemed like a weak ground ball back to the pitcher. They both threw well. I think that was their plan: half a game with each of them."
A Brock Bruehlman double was the only hit for the Orioles.
"We played (Belmont) in a double header," Bredeson said, adding that Argyle won both games, "and we only had three hits in each of those games. We knew both of them were decent enough pitchers. We had to come in to the playoffs hitting the ball, and we didn't do it. I'm pretty sure the only thing that left the infield was Brock's double."
Alec Treuthardt started on the mound for Argyle. Treuthardt threw six innings and gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and six walks. He also struck out nine. Colton Ploessl tossed a scoreless seventh in relief.
Argyle finished the season with a 9-9 record, a vast improvement from their 2-21 campaign a year ago. Bredeson said that there was no disappointment after getting a No. 3 seed.
"We knew it was going to be tough ... there's no sour taste at all," he said. "We had an overall decent season. We finished second place (in the Sixth Rivers East). Nine wins with no seniors and one junior is pretty damn good."
