Ludwig to open Class 4A title defense for Central

Updated: May 19, 2011 8:07PM

While its opponent for its Class 4A Hinsdale Central Regional Semifinal on May 25 is still unknown, one thing is certain for Naperville Central — senior left-hander Dan Ludwig will open its Class 4A title defense opposite either Plainfield East or Hinsdale Central.

“We won’t have a decision. Luddy will throw that first game,” Naperville Central coach Bill Seiple said after the Belmont University-bound lefty fanned 10 in the Redhawks’ 10-0, five-inning victory over West Chicago on May 11. “No question about it. Luddy will throw that first game.”

Using a similar script that he used to help guide his team to the Class 4A crown a year ago, Seiple wants to get his No. 1 on the mound as much as he can.

Shane Conlon started and completed four of the Redhawks’ seven postseason games last season, including the opener against Benet, with Ludwig tossing complete games in the other three.

“We gotta run Luddy out anytime we have a chance to do it. He’s that special of a guy,” Seiple said. “I think, like we did with Shane last year, we gotta run Luddy out in that first game. He’ll throw (against) whoever we play in the first one and then we’ll let the chips fall.”

With four career postseason victories, Ludwig is tied with Conlon and currently sits two short of Kyle Kaminska’s program record of six.

If the Redhawks manage to reach the Neuqua Valley Sectional final on June 4, Ludwig would tie Kaminska. To have an opportunity to eclipse Kaminska, the Redhawks winning the Neuqua Valley Sectional and Ludwig notching a victory in the Class 4A University of Illinois Supersectional on June 6 would be required.

Neuqua in search of consistency

Despite garnering the third seed in its own sectional, Neuqua Valley is still looking for some consistency with a week remaining before its postseason opener against either Romeoville or Waubonsie Valley.

“We need our best players to be our best players and that’s not happening right now,” Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner said after watching his team blow a four-run lead before eventually losing 13-11 to Waubonsie Valley on May 12. “Simple as that.”

After reeling off a five-game winning streak from April 29 to May 4, the Wildcats went only 3-5 in their next eight games.

Included in that stretch was suffering a three-game sweep at the hands of crosstown rival Waubonsie Valley this past weekend, which Neuqua Valley can only hope won’t be a harbinger of things to come should the two schools meet in a Class 4A Lockport Regional Semifinal on May 25.

“Alex (Bucz) and (Nick) Blackburn have done a nice job,” Renner said of his top two starters. “It’s just we just don’t know what we’re gonna get after that. Kevin (Hodgman) can throw three pitches for strikes; it’s just that he throws them right (at the belt) for strikes and (opposing hitters) just unload.

“It doesn’t matter to (opposing hitters) what the count is. They’re just coming right out of their shoes on pitches right down the middle — whether it’s 2-1, 1-2, 0-2 because we’re leaving pitches (at the belt). We just need to locate.”

Through play last weekend, Bucz and Blackburn had combined to post a 9-3 record, and the Warriors managed to pin losses on both of them during their doubleheader sweep of the Wildcats on Saturday.

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