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The Elgin Wildcats varsity baseball team wrapped up their regular season by splitting a two-game series against the East View Patriots.
Elgin took the opener 2-0 Tuesday, April 15, but fell 5-4 in 10 innings in the rematch Thursday, April 17.
Game one
Senior Jalen Owens delivered a shutout performance on the mound as the Wildcats edged the Patriots in a low-scoring battle.
Owens threw a complete game, allowing five hits and recording three strikeouts.
Elgin struck early, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI single by senior Cason Nalle. The Wildcats loaded the bases with a single from senior Tyson McFarlin, a hit-by-pitch and a walk before the inning ended with a double play.
Both teams went scoreless in the second inning. East View threatened in the third by loading the bases with two outs, but a flyout ended the frame and preserved Elgin’s lead.
The Wildcats added an insurance run in the fifth on an RBI single from McFarlin to make it 2-0.
The Patriots put runners on the corners with two outs in the sixth, but a pop-up ended the inning. Elgin retired East View in order in the seventh to secure the win.
Game two
Elgin came up just short in the series finale as East View pushed across the game-winning run in extra innings.
Neither team scored through the first four innings. The Wildcats broke through first when Owens ripped an RBI double in the fifth to give Elgin a 1-0 lead. The Patriots answered in the sixth with a fourrun surge highlighted by a two-run double, a groundout RBI and an RBI triple to go up 4-1.
Elgin responded in the bottom half, tying the game at 4-4 with an RBI double from senior Jack Grames followed by two run-scoring groundouts.
Both teams went quiet again until the 10th, when the Patriots plated the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.
Playoff chances
Elgin now sits at 1310-1 overall and 7-5 in district play, placing fifth in the standings just one game behind Weiss (6-4 in district).
The Wildcats must now wait to see how the playoff race shakes out.
Elgin can clinch a playoff spot if Connally (0-10 in district) sweeps or splits with Weiss. The Wildcats will have a playoff play-in game if Hendrickson sweeps East View.
