Unlucky Sevens
IVC commits seven errors in 7-1 State Semifinal loss to unbeaten Harrisburg ...
| Northern Illinois Sports Beat http://www.northernillinoissportsbeat.com |
By Cody Cutter
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Publisher
JOLIET - Some Fridays are not meant to be lucky.
On this Friday – the fourth of June – the IVC Grey Ghost Baseball team returned to the
State Baseball Tournament. A couple of sevens were put up, but they were not good
ones. The Grey Ghosts fell to unbeaten Harrisburg 7-1 on Friday night at Silver Cross
Field.
The other seven-spot was on the far right of the scoreboard. Seven errors were
committed by the Grey Ghost defense.
“You can’t give them that many outs, it doesn’t matter what level you play,” IVC coach
Jerry Rashid said. “We have a great team and, unfortunately, I don’t think people saw a
great team tonight.”
IVC pitcher Cody Kentzel held Harrisburg to eight hits, but wound up with the tough-luck
loss. Not even Kentzel was free from any flaws. He hit three batters and had two balks in
the game.
“It’s frustrating, but that’s baseball,” said Kentzel, who is now 9-2 on the year. “Baseball
just didn’t want us to win today.”
With Harrisburg (40-0) leading 1-0 to start the third inning, pitcher Reid Roper hit a single
to left field, but the catch was misplayed by IVC left fielder Keegan Horack. Courtesy
runner Cameron Cummins advanced to third on a wild pitch during the at-bat of the next
batter, Keelin Rasch. Problems continued as Rasch hit a short chopper to second
baseman Dan Semter, who couldn't quite get a grip of the ball. Cummins scored on the
play.
The problems would continue into the fourth inning. Issac Behme was beaned with one
out and advanced to third base with a misplayed pop-up by IVC right fielder Travis
Thacker that sent Logal Leverett to second. Both Behme and Leverett would score before
Kentzel struck out Roper in the ext at-bat. Behme scored on a balk, and Leverett scored
while IVC catcher Derek Sprout misfired a pick off attempt at third.
To go one step further, Cain Sheldon's ground out to start the inning was nearly bobbled,
but was a successful putout.
“I tell these guys there's always reasons why you win and why you lose,” Rashid said. “If
you look on that scoreboard and see why we lost, you'll see seven in the far right column
and one in the front one.”
IVC's lone run of the game came on a home run in the fifth inning. Thacker redeemed
himself somewhat after the misplay by hitting an 0-1 pitch from Roper past a short right
field fence for his third homer of the year. The hit was a rare one off of Roper, who had
only given up seven earned runs all season.
Harrisburg's final three runs came through Sheldon's bat. He had an RBI single in the fifth
inning and a two-RBI triple in the seventh. The way these runs came about was different
from the unconventional ways to start the game.
“We're very explosive offensively, but it seemed like we couldn't get the big hit when we
needed it," Harrisburg coach Jay Thompson said. “We had runners two or three times and
then Cain (Sheldon) hits a missile in the gap that opened it up to 7-1 and that's pretty
good.”
Roper didn't let IVC do as much damage on offense. The University of Illinois-bound
pitcher struck out 12, walked five and scattered only three hits.
“I was on three days' rest today and I've done that before in the postseason,” Roper said.
“I came out and felt good. My defense was there for me and we got some runs early that
gave me some cushion.”
Thacker and Alex Bradley were the only Grey Ghost batters to reach base more than
once, as both had one hit and one walk each. Kentzel pitched six and one-third innings,
striking out six while scattering eight hits. Only one of his seven runs allowed was earned.
“You can't give them that many outs, no matter what level you play,” said IVC coach Jerry
Rashid. “We just gave them too many outs.”
Harrisburg will try to become the first school since 1998 (Edwardsville) and the first small
school since 1995 (Roanoke-Benson) to go undefeated in the season. The Bulldogs will
face Teutopolis in the Class 2A Championship game.
“This is every kid's dream and every coach's dream,” said Thompson, who has led
Harrisburg to a championship before in 1989. “What we set out to do from Day 1 is
playing today.”
IVC will face Elmhurst Immaculate Conception in the third-place game at 3:00 Saturday.
Cody Cutter is Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our Message
Boards!
Northern Illinois Sports Beat Publisher
JOLIET - Some Fridays are not meant to be lucky.
On this Friday – the fourth of June – the IVC Grey Ghost Baseball team returned to the
State Baseball Tournament. A couple of sevens were put up, but they were not good
ones. The Grey Ghosts fell to unbeaten Harrisburg 7-1 on Friday night at Silver Cross
Field.
The other seven-spot was on the far right of the scoreboard. Seven errors were
committed by the Grey Ghost defense.
“You can’t give them that many outs, it doesn’t matter what level you play,” IVC coach
Jerry Rashid said. “We have a great team and, unfortunately, I don’t think people saw a
great team tonight.”
IVC pitcher Cody Kentzel held Harrisburg to eight hits, but wound up with the tough-luck
loss. Not even Kentzel was free from any flaws. He hit three batters and had two balks in
the game.
“It’s frustrating, but that’s baseball,” said Kentzel, who is now 9-2 on the year. “Baseball
just didn’t want us to win today.”
With Harrisburg (40-0) leading 1-0 to start the third inning, pitcher Reid Roper hit a single
to left field, but the catch was misplayed by IVC left fielder Keegan Horack. Courtesy
runner Cameron Cummins advanced to third on a wild pitch during the at-bat of the next
batter, Keelin Rasch. Problems continued as Rasch hit a short chopper to second
baseman Dan Semter, who couldn't quite get a grip of the ball. Cummins scored on the
play.
The problems would continue into the fourth inning. Issac Behme was beaned with one
out and advanced to third base with a misplayed pop-up by IVC right fielder Travis
Thacker that sent Logal Leverett to second. Both Behme and Leverett would score before
Kentzel struck out Roper in the ext at-bat. Behme scored on a balk, and Leverett scored
while IVC catcher Derek Sprout misfired a pick off attempt at third.
To go one step further, Cain Sheldon's ground out to start the inning was nearly bobbled,
but was a successful putout.
“I tell these guys there's always reasons why you win and why you lose,” Rashid said. “If
you look on that scoreboard and see why we lost, you'll see seven in the far right column
and one in the front one.”
IVC's lone run of the game came on a home run in the fifth inning. Thacker redeemed
himself somewhat after the misplay by hitting an 0-1 pitch from Roper past a short right
field fence for his third homer of the year. The hit was a rare one off of Roper, who had
only given up seven earned runs all season.
Harrisburg's final three runs came through Sheldon's bat. He had an RBI single in the fifth
inning and a two-RBI triple in the seventh. The way these runs came about was different
from the unconventional ways to start the game.
“We're very explosive offensively, but it seemed like we couldn't get the big hit when we
needed it," Harrisburg coach Jay Thompson said. “We had runners two or three times and
then Cain (Sheldon) hits a missile in the gap that opened it up to 7-1 and that's pretty
good.”
Roper didn't let IVC do as much damage on offense. The University of Illinois-bound
pitcher struck out 12, walked five and scattered only three hits.
“I was on three days' rest today and I've done that before in the postseason,” Roper said.
“I came out and felt good. My defense was there for me and we got some runs early that
gave me some cushion.”
Thacker and Alex Bradley were the only Grey Ghost batters to reach base more than
once, as both had one hit and one walk each. Kentzel pitched six and one-third innings,
striking out six while scattering eight hits. Only one of his seven runs allowed was earned.
“You can't give them that many outs, no matter what level you play,” said IVC coach Jerry
Rashid. “We just gave them too many outs.”
Harrisburg will try to become the first school since 1998 (Edwardsville) and the first small
school since 1995 (Roanoke-Benson) to go undefeated in the season. The Bulldogs will
face Teutopolis in the Class 2A Championship game.
“This is every kid's dream and every coach's dream,” said Thompson, who has led
Harrisburg to a championship before in 1989. “What we set out to do from Day 1 is
playing today.”
IVC will face Elmhurst Immaculate Conception in the third-place game at 3:00 Saturday.
Cody Cutter is Publisher of Northern Illinois Sports Beat. He can be reached at
Northernillinoissportsbeat@yahoo.com. --- Talk about what's written on our Message
Boards!
At Silver Cross Field (6/4/10)
Joliet
Class 2A State Semifinal
Harrisburg 7, IVC 1
Harrisburg (7) – Reid Roper
p 4-0-1-0, Cameron
Cummins pr 0-1-0-0, Keelin
Rasch 3b 4-1-2-1, Tyler
McGowan cf 4-0-1-0, Dawson
Monfort 1b 2-0-1-1, Noah
King c 3-0-0-0, Nick Borders
pr 0-2-0-0, Ryne Roper ss 4-
1-0-0, Cain Sheldon 2b 4-0-3-
3, Issac Behme rf 2-1-0-0,
Logan Leverett dh 4-1-0-0,
Caleb Thompson lf 0-0-0-0.
Totals: 31-7-8-5.
IVC (1) – Trevor Black ss 3-0-
0-0, Dan Semtener 2b 3-0-1-
0, Derek Sprout c 2-0-0-0,
Drasen Johnson 1b 1-0-0-0,
Thomas Foley ph/1b 1-0-0-0,
Alex Bradley 3b 2-0-1-0, Matt
Welch ph/3b 0-0-0-0, Keegan
Horack lf 3-0-0-0, Cody
Kentzel p 2-0-0-0, Braden
McIntyre p 1-0-0-0, Travis
Thacker rf 2-1-1-1, Nick
Brenner dh 2-0-0-0, Brock
Adcock cf 0-0-0-0. Totals: 22-
1-3-1.
Harrisburg 101 210 2 – 7 8 2
IVC 000 001 0 – 1 3 7
LOB - Harrisburg 8; IVC 5. 3B
- Sheldon. HR - Thacker.
HBP - Monfort; King; Behme.
SB - Borders. CS - Sprout.
WP - Kentzel. HBP - by
Kentzel (Monfort); by Kentzel
(Behme); by Kentzel (King).
BK - Kentzel 2.
Harrisburg ip r er h bb k
Re. Roper (W, 10-0)
7.0 3 1 1 5 12
IVC
Kentzel (L, 9-2) 6.1 8 7 1 2 6
McIntyre 0.2 0 0 0 0 0
Records: Harrisburg (40-0),
IVC (32-6).
Joliet
Class 2A State Semifinal
Harrisburg 7, IVC 1
Harrisburg (7) – Reid Roper
p 4-0-1-0, Cameron
Cummins pr 0-1-0-0, Keelin
Rasch 3b 4-1-2-1, Tyler
McGowan cf 4-0-1-0, Dawson
Monfort 1b 2-0-1-1, Noah
King c 3-0-0-0, Nick Borders
pr 0-2-0-0, Ryne Roper ss 4-
1-0-0, Cain Sheldon 2b 4-0-3-
3, Issac Behme rf 2-1-0-0,
Logan Leverett dh 4-1-0-0,
Caleb Thompson lf 0-0-0-0.
Totals: 31-7-8-5.
IVC (1) – Trevor Black ss 3-0-
0-0, Dan Semtener 2b 3-0-1-
0, Derek Sprout c 2-0-0-0,
Drasen Johnson 1b 1-0-0-0,
Thomas Foley ph/1b 1-0-0-0,
Alex Bradley 3b 2-0-1-0, Matt
Welch ph/3b 0-0-0-0, Keegan
Horack lf 3-0-0-0, Cody
Kentzel p 2-0-0-0, Braden
McIntyre p 1-0-0-0, Travis
Thacker rf 2-1-1-1, Nick
Brenner dh 2-0-0-0, Brock
Adcock cf 0-0-0-0. Totals: 22-
1-3-1.
Harrisburg 101 210 2 – 7 8 2
IVC 000 001 0 – 1 3 7
LOB - Harrisburg 8; IVC 5. 3B
- Sheldon. HR - Thacker.
HBP - Monfort; King; Behme.
SB - Borders. CS - Sprout.
WP - Kentzel. HBP - by
Kentzel (Monfort); by Kentzel
(Behme); by Kentzel (King).
BK - Kentzel 2.
Harrisburg ip r er h bb k
Re. Roper (W, 10-0)
7.0 3 1 1 5 12
IVC
Kentzel (L, 9-2) 6.1 8 7 1 2 6
McIntyre 0.2 0 0 0 0 0
Records: Harrisburg (40-0),
IVC (32-6).
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