PLAINFIELD – It took a while for the Kaneland offense to thaw itself out, but after five scoreless innings, the Knights roared to life – with plenty of help from Plainfield Central.
Kaneland's 7-3, eight inning win Monday was owed just as much to the Wildcats' struggling defense in the final three innings as it was to the Knights (2-1) capitalizing at the plate.
After the fifth inning, the Knights were down, 3-0. But senior catcher Mike Pritchard (2-for-4, two RBIs) turned things around with an RBI single that sent senior Jay Levita home in the sixth inning for the team's first run.
Now only up by two, Plainfield Central's pitching became erratic. Kaneland sophomore Joe Camiliere got on base after getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then Plainfield Central walked the next four batters, which would tie the score at 3.
Plainfield's pitching change in the eighth didn't help things as wild pitches and walks helped bring four more Knights across home plate. Camiliere and Levita scored a pair of runs each.
"I don't know if we could credit our offense too much," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. "Their pitchers had some trouble finding the strike zone and we just kept getting our batters up there and across the plate. But we'll take the win, especially on a cold day."
While Plainfield Central's defense collapsed, Kaneland's got red hot. After the comeback started, junior pitcher Steve Colombe kept the Wildcats to a three-up, three-down offense, throwing five strike-outs in his four innings of relief.
"The [fifth] inning, I had some trouble getting in rhythm, but the [sixth] inning, my curve ball started going," he said.
When Plainfield Central took its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning, the Knights responded with a double play as Pritchard and senior shortstop Joe Gura put a runner in a pickle and tagged him as he slid into third.
The out turned into a double play as another Wildcat misread the situation and also ran toward third.
With the temperature in the 40s and dropping, Gura said the hardest part was keeping warm during his plays.
"Mostly I focused through the cold," he said. "You just play through it ... be tough."
Aversa also used the weather as a motivator as he praised Colombe.
"Steve got us in the dugout quick and got us warm again," he said.
Still, Aversa stresses that the team will have to work on its offense, since most of its scoring won't come as easily.
"Absolutely, our two-strike hitting [needs work]," he said. "I think we're too selective early and not selective enough in the end."
The Knights now look forward to warmer temperatures as they travel south to Springfield on Thursday and Missouri on Friday and Saturday for their spring break trip.
Kaneland's 7-3, eight inning win Monday was owed just as much to the Wildcats' struggling defense in the final three innings as it was to the Knights (2-1) capitalizing at the plate.
After the fifth inning, the Knights were down, 3-0. But senior catcher Mike Pritchard (2-for-4, two RBIs) turned things around with an RBI single that sent senior Jay Levita home in the sixth inning for the team's first run.
Now only up by two, Plainfield Central's pitching became erratic. Kaneland sophomore Joe Camiliere got on base after getting hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then Plainfield Central walked the next four batters, which would tie the score at 3.
Plainfield's pitching change in the eighth didn't help things as wild pitches and walks helped bring four more Knights across home plate. Camiliere and Levita scored a pair of runs each.
"I don't know if we could credit our offense too much," Kaneland coach Brian Aversa said. "Their pitchers had some trouble finding the strike zone and we just kept getting our batters up there and across the plate. But we'll take the win, especially on a cold day."
While Plainfield Central's defense collapsed, Kaneland's got red hot. After the comeback started, junior pitcher Steve Colombe kept the Wildcats to a three-up, three-down offense, throwing five strike-outs in his four innings of relief.
"The [fifth] inning, I had some trouble getting in rhythm, but the [sixth] inning, my curve ball started going," he said.
When Plainfield Central took its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning, the Knights responded with a double play as Pritchard and senior shortstop Joe Gura put a runner in a pickle and tagged him as he slid into third.
The out turned into a double play as another Wildcat misread the situation and also ran toward third.
With the temperature in the 40s and dropping, Gura said the hardest part was keeping warm during his plays.
"Mostly I focused through the cold," he said. "You just play through it ... be tough."
Aversa also used the weather as a motivator as he praised Colombe.
"Steve got us in the dugout quick and got us warm again," he said.
Still, Aversa stresses that the team will have to work on its offense, since most of its scoring won't come as easily.
"Absolutely, our two-strike hitting [needs work]," he said. "I think we're too selective early and not selective enough in the end."
The Knights now look forward to warmer temperatures as they travel south to Springfield on Thursday and Missouri on Friday and Saturday for their spring break trip.
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