Battle-tested Knights knock out Wildcats

Lincoln-Way Central's Tom Helwich fires a pitch against Plainfield Central.
(Michael Dinovo/For the Herald News)

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After playing one of the most difficult schedules in the area, Lincoln-Way Central entered Monday's Class 4A Naperville Central Regional quarterfinal at Plainfield Central well-prepared, though the Knights' record may indicate differently.

The Knights' preparation showed, as they handled host Plainfield Central 4-1 behind a stellar pitching performance by junior Tom Helwich.

Helwich (6-2) held Plainfield Central's high-scoring offense in check, allowing six hits, striking out seven and walking five in a complete-game effort. The only run Helwich yielded was in the seventh on Derek DeYoung's triple.

"I felt real good in warmups," said Helwich, a 6-foot-3 left-hander. "I had all my pitches going."

Lincoln-Way Central (16-15-1) broke a scoreless tie in the fourth, and subsequently broke the game open in the fifth with three runs behind five singles. Tim Gindville (3-for-3, run, RBI), Chad Podkulski (2-for-4, run, RBI) and Mike Goshorn each had run-scoring singles in the fifth. Sam Mampe contributed a double and single for the Knights.

Plainfield Central (15-18), which had scored 270 runs this season, stranded eight runners, including a bases-loaded opportunity in the second inning.