By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

Ottawa Regional

Game 1: Pontiac 10, Ottawa 0

OTTAWA, IL – Pontiac powered past Ottawa 10-0 in 5-innings behind junior righthander Jacob Curry, who impressed both on the mound at the plate in throwing a 3-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and no walks. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior left-handed hitter also went 3-for-3 on the day with two doubles and 3 RBI.

The No. 1 seeded Indians (23-12) exploded for five runs in the third inning to take a 7-0 lead over the Pirates (11-16). Starting with the top of the order, five consecutive Pontiac hitters reached base with hits, highlighted by an RBI single by senior three-hole hitter Jared Lynn and a double over the center fielder’s head by Curry. The Indians batted around in the inning.

In the meantime, Curry was mowing down Ottawa hitters with an 84-87 mph (touched 88 twice) sinking fastball. Also Pontiac’s four-hole hitter and starting third baseman, Curry has done it all this year in earning first team all-conference honors in the Cornbelt conference.

“Jacob has been doing that all year. He’s solid when the lights are on and it counts”, said Pontiac coach Brian Lambert. “He mixed in the curveball well and kept them off balance at the plate all day”.

Pontiac scored two runs in the first when leadoff man, senior shortstop Neil Lambert (2-for-3, two runs scored) singled to start of the game, and later scored on a Lynn double. Curry brought home Lynn with a double of his own to give the Indians an early 2-0 advantage before their five-run third put the game away.

The Indians added one in the fourth as Lynn (3-for-3, two doubles, three runs scored, two RBI) doubled and then scored on Curry’s RBI single to left. The Indians put the game away in the fifth on junior third baseman Cam Brown’s two-RBI single scoring Seth Cunningham and Christian Schuler.

Connor Soensken, Tommy Miller, and Karter Lowery all had singles for Ottawa.

Pontiac, who captured their first conference title this spring since 1989, is shooting for the school’s first regional championship since 1982 on Saturday against LaSalle Peru.

Lambert added, “This has been an outstanding year. We’ve been very balanced and consistent. We don’t have a power arm, but five or six guys that throws strikes, and we’ve been consistent up and down our lineup from one through nine.”

Pontiac takes on LaSalle-Peru on Saturday at 11 am at Ottawa for the regional championship.

Game 2: LaSalle-Peru 2, Morris 0

No. 2 seed LaSalle-Peru rode the arm of sophomore righthander Austin Prybylinski to a 2-0 victory over No. 3 seed Morris. Prybylinski struck out seven and only allowed two hits with three walks in his complete game masterpiece.

“We’ve been playing a complete game, and it starts with Austin on the mound, “said LaSalle Peru coach Matt Glupczynski. “He had great rhythm and tempo, throwing strikes to the bottom of the zone and trusting his defense, all the things we preach in our program.”

The Cavaliers struck in the third off Morris senior starter Cody Niewinski, who pitched well in defeat, scattering eight hits in five innings of work. Senior left fielder Cam Mignone led off with a fly ball triple that just stayed fair down the right field line, and subsequently scored on shortstop Erik Miliacki’s sacrifice fly to center for the first run of the game.

LaSalle-Peru added another insurance run in the fifth, although Prybylinski wouldn’t need it, as Mignone scored once again, this time on a Miliacki single to right field.

Matt Walker threw a scoreless inning of relief for the Redskins, and along with senior left fielder Tom Cheshareck accounted for Morris’ only hits off Prybylinski. The sophomore right-hander coupled an upper 70’s fastball with a late breaking 12/6 curveball, thrown hard and for strikes in any count. He did not allow a hit after the second inning, and only one Morris hitter reached scoring position in the contest.

Morris finishes the season 15-17-1, while LaSalle-Peru improves to 19-3 and moves on to Saturday against No. 1 seed Pontiac.

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