The Wildcats are coming into the series opener after sweeping their last two opponents (Streamwood and Elgin).
In the first game against the Maroons, sophomore Ashton Aldaco threw a no-hitter in a five-inning mercy rule win (10-0).
The Fenton Bison are – so far – winless this season after finishing eighth in the Upstate Eight last year.
Junior Zach Williamson started on the bump for the Wildcats, Williamson has a 4.55 ERA which is second on the team.
In the top of the first, Fenton’s Ivan Luna grounded out to the second baseman, senior Rafael Herrera, and Luis Aguirre struck out looking for the first two outs of the inning. Fenton player Nate Stewert reached second base on a dropped fly ball by West Chicago’s right fielder, Zach Kreitzer. Williamson got out of the inning by striking out Nate Dominguez.
Conner Cheney, who is second on the team in ERA with 14.19, started on the mound for Fenton.
It would not take long for West Chicago to score the first run. After two quick outs from Brandon R. Heath (’24) and Tommy Doyle (’23), senior Tyler Heath got walked as the team’s first base runner of the day. Fellow senior Kyler Campbell reached first on an error by Ramirez at shortstop.
Dominic Cicero, also a senior, got up to load the bases. With bases loaded and two outs, Herrera came up to the plate but got walked on five pitches to bring home T. Heath. Campbell attempted to go home on ball four – which was a wild pitch – but got tagged out at home to end the inning. Wildcats were up 1-0 early in the game.
Fenton’s Anthony Helgesen grounded out to T. Heath at first to start the bottom of the first. Owen Siekierski got walked in the at-bat after. The inning ended shortly after, as Cheney flew out to junior Royal Day in right field.
Day led the bottom of the second, but flew out to Greg Platek, from Fenton, in right field. E.J. Huffman drew a walk on five pitches for the Wildcats. Kreitzer struck out looking for the second out of the inning. Not that shortly after, B. Heath struck out to end the second.
In the top of the third, the Bisons’ bats came alive. Fenton player Roman Chaidez lined a ball to right to lead off the inning with a single. Luna followed Chaidez with a single of his own to the left. Aguirre hit a ground ball to Cicero, but Cicero decided to throw to first and tried not to turn the double play.
Stewert got hit by the pitch in the next at-bat. With bases loaded, Helgensen approached the plate and ripped a ground ball that got past B. Heath.
Luna and Chaidez scored to lead 1-2. Siekierski strick out to end the top half of the inning.
Doyle led the bottom of the third for the Wildcats, hitting a bloop single into center. T. Heath got to first on an error by Luna, and made it to second after stealing during the next at-bat.
Campbell brought home Heath and Doyle from second and third on a deep flyball, one of which hopped the right field wall. The Wildcats regained the lead, 3-2. Cicero put together a great at-bat and finished with a flair single to center that advanced Campbell to third. Herrera grounded into a double play, but drove Campbell home to increase the Wildcats’ lead.
Day hit an inside-the-park home run in the next at-bat after sending the ball to the wall in left-center to push West Chicago’s lead to 5-2.
“It just felt good to get out of a slump and hit the ball again. I didn’t know I had a chance at going home until I saw [coach] Nall sending me,” Day said.
Huffman ended the inning with a groundout.
No more runs would be scored for the Bison. Fenton would only have two base runners in the game after the third.
As for the Wildcats, they scored seven more runs in three innings: runs were scored by Kreitzer, Day, Campbell, Doyle, T. Heath, B. Heath, and senior Ryan Zalak.
The game ended in the bottom of the sixth after Day stole home on a wild pitch, which completed the game because of the mercy rule.
The Wildcats will play game two of the series on April 26 at Fenton.