Aurora Christian Wins Their First 1A Title In School History
June 2, 2018
PEORIA, Ill. - Aurora Christian and Valmeyer called upon a pair of underclassmen to try and salvage a victory in either team’s most important game of the season. Aurora Christian starter Jake Kuntzendorf answered head coach Andy Zorger’s call and encored his Friday home run performance with a complete-game win on the mound in the state title game Saturday morning at Dozer Field. The Eagles of Aurora Christian began championship Saturday with a 5-1 victory over Valmeyer.
Already ahead by one, Aurora Christian gave Kuntzendorf all the run support he’d need – and then some – in the second. Back-to-back doubles by Eric Hernandez (2-for-4; 2B, R) and MJ Stavola (2-for-4; 2B, RBI) plated the Eagles’ first run of the inning. Sam Tickel (2-for-4; RBI, R) immediately followed with a hit of his own, scoring Stavola. Tickel then scored the third and final run of the frame on a wild pitch.
The Eagles scored again in the fourth, aided by a series of doubles. Catcher Zach Zavasnik (2-for-3) and Trey Madsen went back-to-back to pull ahead by five.
Valmeyer sent 27 men to the plate and mustered only four hits and one run against Kuntzendorf. That run came in the fifth after capitalizing off an error allowing Cole Juelfs (Southwestern Illinois JC commit) to reach. Tyler Kempfer used a double to score Juelfs, but couldn’t manage to plate anything else.
The Eagles didn’t need much offense with Kuntzendorf on the hill. The sophomore right hander allowed a total of six baserunners. Only two of those runners reached third – one scored. He retired 11 of the last 13 Pirates he faced. The only run that crossed for Valmeyer was unearned. Kuntzendorf was sitting comfortably in the mid-to-low 80’s throughout and mixing in a sweeping breaking ball.
His sophomore counterpart, Philip Reinhardt, threw 5.1 IP, surrendering 12 hits resulting in five runs – all earned.
Valmeyer (31-10) fell in the title game for the second consecutive season.
The Eagles (33-2) win their first state championship under Zorger in his 11-year tenure.
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