By Jack Witthaus
Prep Baseball Report Writer 

On Saturday, Cadet starter Matt Vierling dominated both sides of the field. 

Vierling launched two homers, hurled six innings and paved the way for CBC’s first State appearance since 2010 after beating Willard, 5-2.

“We’re definitely excited to be back here,” coach Mason Horne said of the State final appearance, his first since his inaugural year of coaching CBC baseball. “We’re going to celebrate for about 10 minutes and get ready for (today).” 

It was Vierling’s bat that got the Cadet’s offense going in the bottom of the first when he deposited the ball into the left field bleachers. Vierling went three for three at the dish with two home runs and two RBIs. 

Strong winds blew hard out of the outfield, aiding CBC bats which didn’t put the ball in play to score any of their five runs. In the fifth, Joe Schrimpf and Vierling went yard again, this time for back-to-back jacks. The dingers landed in almost the exact same spot as Vierling’s first homer. 

Up 3-1, the Cadets ended their homerun parade in the sixth inning. Marcos Martinez reached base on a one-out single. Then, No. 9 hitter Jaelen Gilky blasted another four-bagger to left field. 

Gilky, Vierling and Schrimpf all recorded their first homers on the season and the four dingers in the game made up 30% of CBCs homerun output on the season.

“The game plan was to try to get (Willard starter Justin Atchison) up with his fastball and get on top of it,” Horne said. 

Atchison, who hadn’t lost in his high school career, was saddled with the defeat after working 5.1 innings and giving up all five earned runs. Atchison did manage to strikeout six and walked three.

Willard desperately tried to catch up with CBC, stranding eight runners throughout the game. After getting blanked in last year’s State semifinal game, the Tigers did manage to score in the top of the fifth when CBC balked a run home. 

Matt Vierling, who relied on a sharp slider and a fastball, struck out six in his six innings of work. 

“I kept the hitters off-balance,” Vierling said. 

However, Willard worked CBC into a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh with no outs. Although Willard managed to score a run on a base hit, CBC yanked Vierling and went with Glen McCreery, who recorded the final outs of the game.

“That’s the way playoff baseball is,” Horne said. “There was some drama, some big hits and good pitching. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Once again, a St. Louis team is assured a victory in the highest class State final as CBC will take on Francis Howell today at 3 p.m.