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Cats’ bats get heated up
Updated: May 30, 2011 9:30PM
CEDAR LAKE — Before Monday’s Class 2A sectional, Hanover Central coach Doug Nelson was anticipating an offensive breakout for his team after a couple weeks of tight ball games.
And considering his Wildcats were still in search of the school’s first title, he wasn’t concerned about pressure being an issue.
Turns out Nelson’s forecasting was right on time, as Hanover came up with a three-run sixth inning to defeat Bishop Noll earlier during the day to reach the title game against Wheeler. In that championship game, the Wildcats put up a huge five-run first inning and scored three runs in the third and fourth innings off Wheeler starter Sam O’Shea en route to a 13-8 victory.
“I’m so happy for the kids, especially the seniors,” Nelson said. “We were so overdue for a great hitting game, and the kids really stepped up today and hit the ball. And for the kids to put up those kind of runs against a great pitcher like O’Shea is big — even though we did have the wind blowing out, which definitely worked to our advantage.
“These kids are naive to the big game; ignorance and youth is bliss. But that big first inning definitely helped put the fight in us.”
Hanover, which fell behind 2-0 compliments of a home run by Dave Bolda to right center field and an error, were sparked in their half of the first by a two-run double by Nick Spangler, a two-run single by Dan Strum and a RBI double by Tyler Trepton, who added another double in third third inning.
Mike Balich led off the third inning with a home run to right center field and Zac Maciejewski added a two-run double to extend the lead to 8-2. Wheeler bounced back with three runs in fourth with a RBI single by Bolda, who missed hitting for the cycle by a triple, and a two-run single by O’Shea. The Bearcats added three unearned runs in the fifth.
But Hanover answered with three in the fourth, also of the unearned variety, and two in the fifth on a two-run single from Nick Bollenbacher. Andy Wellwerts, who struck out 12 earlier in the day against Noll, struck out two in the final inning to close out the title.
“We were all feeling pretty loose today,” Spangler said. “We really put it together today and had some excellent at bats.”
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