STILLMAN VALLEY – As dominant as Elgin Westminster Christian ace Ben Palmer had been, Harvard had a chance when Travis Kurth swung and connected well.

The ball headed up the middle, and with two outs, Sean Creighton surely would have scored the tying run. But Palmer jumped and snagged Kurth’s one-hopper, then wheeled for an easy throw to first, ending the game and sending the Warriors into celebration on the infield.

Palmer struck out 11 and allowed four hits as Westminster nipped Harvard, 2-1, for the IHSA Class A Stillman Valley Sectional championship Monday.

Westminster (24-13) moved on to the Rockford RiverHawks Supersectional on Monday afternoon against Lena-Winslow, a 14-7 winner against Galena. Westminster defeated Lena-Winslow, 5-3.

No Warriors team in any sport ever made it as far as this year’s baseball team.

“We were in the right situation we needed to be in, but [Palmer] made a great play,” Harvard coach Ryan Frenk said. “[Kurth] hit it right on the button. We played well. It was a great game, unfortunately we didn’t come out on top.”

Harvard (17-14) had not advanced to a baseball sectional since 1989. The Hornets were at a disadvantage when the sectional title game was suspended Saturday after two batters for rain. That allowed Palmer, a left-hander with a 10-2 record, a 0.30 ERA and 118 strikeouts, to come back for the championship.

“I was looking for a fastball, anything else I was going to let it go,” Kurth said of his last at-bat. “It was a fastball and I got it right on the barrel, I just didn’t quite get it over his head.”

Creighton, who had half of Harvard’s hits, singled sharply down the left-field line to lead off the seventh, then advanced to second when left fielder Steve Berglund bobbled the ball.

“I was hoping we might bunt me over and get me in,” Creighton said. “I thought [Kurth’s ball] was going to go through.”

Kurth (5-4) struck out six and allowed five hits in taking the loss.

Westminster coach Jeff Moeller substituted Palmer for Brandon Siewert when the game restarted Monday.

“It was huge [being able to throw Palmer],” Moeller said. “He hasn’t given up many runs at all this year. And I don’t even think that was one of his best performances. On a scale of 10, that may have been a 6.”

Although Westminster committed five errors – first baseman Chadd Schroy had two on one play that led to Harvard’s lone run – Palmer had faith his defense would make the plays. Harvard’s best threat came in the fifth inning when Dusty Binz singled, Rob Dion struck out, but Creighton singled.

Palmer balked while facing Kevin Munks, moving the runners to second and third, but came back to strike out Munks, then got Bryan McCauley with a fastball on the low outside corner.

“My fastball had a little extra zip today,” said Palmer, who threw 92 pitches. “I wasn’t really nervous the whole game. I trust my defense will make the next play.”

The Hornets lose three senior starters – Kurth, Dion and McCauley – so their future looks promising.

“We came back from this season with three returning starters,” Creighton said. “We have a young team coming back and we’re going to be solid.” 
 

 

 

Alden-Hebron baseball falls in regional final

 ELGIN - Following the Alden-Hebron baseball team's 1-0 regional semifinal victory Wednesday against Genoa-Kingston, coach Ken Winkelman was frustrated by the Giants' on-base execution after runners were picked off twice at first base.

On Saturday, few things changed as base-running mistakes and runners left on base finally caught up with his team in their IHSA Class A Westminster Regional final game.

Regional host Westminster Christian, the No. 6 seed in the Stillman Valley Sectional, defeated third-seeded Alden-Hebron, 11-0. Westminster Christian will face Rockford Lutheran in Thursday's sectional semifinal.

"You have to give Westminster Christian a lot of credit," Winkelman said. "They are a smart team and hit the ball well. ... I'll be cheering them on.

"But I think our downfall was that the guys had so much energy today, and they wanted to perform so well, that they were a little too over-aggressive at the plate, on base and in the field."

The Giants were picked off twice and were caught in an inning-ending double play in the third, when Westminster Christian gunned down Zak Engelbrecht after he failed to tag up on a flyball out.

"Both coaches were yelling to get back," Winkelman said about the double play. "I think he might have thought the ball had cleared. But you know what? You still have to have your head in the game."

Alden-Hebron senior Dean Beck said his team stranded too many base runners and wasn't mentally ready to play against the Warriors.

"It seemed like we weren't thinking today," Beck said. "This has never happened all season; we just weren't ready. We left so many base runners on base and things just kept snowballing from there."

It was a difficult way for the Giants to end an outstanding season, but Winkelman said he will turn a negative into a positive.

"Next year we will be back," Winkelman said. "We are a little town next to the Wisconsin border that finished out 18-3 this year. I am proud of the kids. We are young team, and we will build from this loss."