Princeton falls to Kewanee in regional opener – Shaw Local
Princeton senior Ryan Jagers was caught. stealing trying to steal second base n Monday’s reqional quarterfinal at Prather Field. Kewanee won 10-5. (Photo provided by Mike Vaughn)
Michael Jackson played on the PA between innings during Monday’s Class 2A regional baseball quarterfinal between host Princeton and Kewanee at Prather Field.
It was not a Thriller by any means for the Tigers in a game of what could go wrong did.
The Boilermakers got three extra outs with the help of two Tiger errors and a dropped third strike in the second inning, hitting the ball out of the infield just once and scoring four runs to take a 6-1 lead.
Kewanee (4-27) tacked on four more runs in the sixth, helped by a wild pitch and a passed ball, on the way to a 10-5 win to advance to Wednesday’s semifinals against top-seed Alleman (20-15).
“We didn’t seem to get any good bounces go our way. Good teams got to overcome that and we just didn’t today,” Princeton coach Patrick Smith said. “We didn’t make plays when we needed. They made more plays than we did.”
Princeton had 31 stolen bases in a 11-1, 14-5 sweep over Kewanee in back-to-back nights this season, but managed just one steal in two attempts Monday.
Kewanee had an ace up its sleeve this time in pitcher Logan Peed, who has been sidelined on the mound of most of the season. While he did allow nine hits and five runs (only one earned), fanning seven, he kept the early lead his teammates gave him.
“It’s really nice to have Logan Peed back on the bump. Just filling up the zone with a couple pitches being able to mix speeds and locate,” Kewanee coach John Moraski said. “Couple times we played them earlier in the season we struggled to throw strikes. Lot of walks, free bases, and they’ll kill ya.
“Logan gave us six really quality innings and then Reid Nichols had a nice little coming out party in the seventh inning and did a nice job in a high-pressure situation as a sophomore and handled it really well.”
Smith said Peed made a big difference.
“He’s a good pitcher and I saw he was throwing a little bit, so I fully expected he’d be pitching,” he said. “He just pounds the zone. We tell our guys all the time, you don’t give away free bases. You throw strikes and we play defense behind him, you’ve got a great chance to win and that’s exactly what he did.
“I thought we hit the ball well. We just didn’t string enough together.”
Senior Ryan Jagers makes a play at short stop for the Tigers in Monday’s reqional quarterfinal at Prather Field. Kewanee won 10-5. (Photo provided by Mike Vaughn)
The Tigers (8-21) got two runs back in the bottom of the third after Kewanee scored four in the second. Braden Shaw, who led off the first inning with a triple and scored, hit a leadoff double to left. Stihl Brokaw blooped a single in front of center fielder Ace LaFollette with Shaw holding at second.
Noah Morton advanced both runners with a sacrifice, called out for running outside the base line. Shaw came in when Cayden Benavidez’s fly was dropped in center and Ryan Jagers singled home Brokaw to make it 6-3.
Tiger starter Jagers pitched three scoreless innings before the Boilers struck again, scoring four runs on four hits, including an RBI single by Isaiah Ince and RBI double by Peed, in the sixth.
The Tigers used a two-run error by Kewanee in the sixth to close within 10-5.
Princeton loaded the bases after two hits in the seventh when Abe Longeville reached on an error and Hayden Sayler singled following a leadoff hit by Benavidez. Shaw, who had hits in his first three at-bats, hit into a fielder’s choice on a 3-0 count, forcing Benavidez at third to end the game.
Smith enjoyed his first year at the helm having served as assistant under former head coach Wick Warren.
“I appreciate all the kids we had. It’s a great group. And they competed,” he said. “You saw it today. We were down five runs. They easily could have rolled over and gave away at-bats. They didn’t give away anything. They competed to the very last out and that’s really all we can ask of them. Just compete and do what we can and the scoreboard’s going to take care of itself.”
Shaw finished 3 for 5 out of the leadoff slot for the Tigers (8-21), with Brokaw and Benavidez each going 2 for 4.
Ince, Peed, LaFollette and Dane Vandevelde each had two hits for the Boilermakers.
The Boilermakers turn their attention to the highly favored Pioneers in Wednesday’s semifinals. Alleman beat Kewanee 17-13 in a high-scoring affair last week.
“We’re playing our best ball at the right time, which is always the goal. Looking forward to Wednesday against a good team,” Kewanee coach John Moraski said.
The winner of their game will draw Thursday’s semifinal winner between Hall and Monmouth-Roseville in Saturday’s regional final at 11 a.m.
Kevin has been sports editor of the BCR since 1986, covering Bureau County and IL Valley Sports. Was previously sports editor of the St. Louis Daily News and a regular contributor for the St. Louis Cardinals Magazine. He is a member of the IBCA and Illinois Valley Hall of Fames. He is one of 4 sportswriters from his tiny hometown Atlanta, IL
