Redhawks’ Ludwig strikes out 10 win

Updated: May 11, 2011 9:07PM

Feeling the pressure to win out the season to fulfill its quest to repeat as DuPage Valley Conference champions, Naperville Central took care of business quickly Wednesday.

Behind a well-rounded effort from its offense and a steady outing from senior left-hander Dan Ludwig, Naperville Central rolled to a 10-0, five-inning victory over West Chicago while righting a wrong in the process.

Six days earlier, in Ludwig’s last start, the Redhawk offense failed to build on an early 2-0 lead over Wheaton North as the Falcons eventually got to Ludwig en route to a 4-2 victory on Thursday.

The Belmont University-bound Ludwig (6-2) rebounded by fanning 10 Wildcats while scattering only three hits in his five innings, earning his 13th career complete game.

“It’s certainly a lot easier to throw under a big lead. You got a lot more cushion, a lot more comfortable,” said Ludwig, who broke the 10-strikeout threshold for the fourth time this season. “When you feel like that, it makes things a lot easier. You’re more comfortable pitching to contact like I did (Wednesday).

“My arm just felt better. I could reach back a little better.”

In jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead after three innings, the Redhawks took all the drama out of the contest with a seven-run fourth where they sent 12 men to the plate and pounded out half of their 12 hits on the afternoon, ensuring that their left-handed ace would rebound from only his third career loss.

Leading the offensive onslaught for the defending Class 4A state champions was Conor Philbin and Ian Lewandowski, who combined to go 5-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored, as eight different Redhawks recorded at least one hit.

Highlighting Philbin’s 3-for-3, two-RBI day was a solo homer to right off West Chicago left-handed starter Joe Loftus in a two-run third for Naperville Central (17-10, 12-5 DuPage Valley).

“It was just a good day. Ian had a great day, (designated hitter Jake) DeVoy’s still hitting,” Philbin said. “It was just one of those days. It’s contagious. We’re a good hitting club and we got it done (Wednesday).”

In three-plus innings, Loftus gave up nine runs, six of them earned, on nine hits to take the loss for West Chicago (8-16-1, 3-12-1 DuPage Valley).

Naperville Central stayed a half-game behind Wheaton North with four games remaining, and coach Bill Seiple knows the scenario that his team has laid out for it.

“I knew Lud would bounce back and he did. He had a nice rhythm and he walked the leadoff hitter (in the fourth), which is unusual for him,” Seiple said. “But when you got his stuff, you can go first-and-third with nobody out and get out of it. I think that they were a little overmatched (Wednesday), but we can’t afford to go 2-out-of-3 anymore. We gotta get after them (Thursday).”

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