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The Putnam County baseball team started Monday with a five-run lead as the Panthers and Yorkville Christian resumed the Class 1A Somonauk Regional championship after it was suspended Saturday due to rain.
The No. 2-seeded Panthers extended their lead and beat the No. 5 Mustangs 13-3 in six innings to win their first regional title since 2018.
Putnam County had the bases loaded with one out when the game restarted in the bottom of the fourth, but the Mustangs escaped the jam then scored two runs in the top of the fifth to cut their deficit to 6-3.
However, the Panthers responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning to break the game open.
Chris Uzella and Troy Petty walked to start the inning and Ryan Hundley followed with a bunt single to load the bases.
Andrew Pyszka singled home a run, Drake Smith drew a bases-loaded walk, Jackson McDonald hit a sacrifice fly, Austin Mattingly drew another bases-loaded walk and Josh Jessen hit an RBI groundout as PC batted around.
“It was a little bit of a disappointment not to score there (in the fourth),” PC coach Chris Newsome said. “Once they made the pitching change, we knew the left was erratic. He had good stuff but he walked people based on different scouting reports. We were patient at the plate, took our walks and got hits when we needed to.”
In the sixth, the Panthers scored on a bases-loaded walk to McDonald and an RBI single by Nicholas Currie to end the game after six innings.
Pyszka finished 4 for 5 with a home run, a double, four runs and two RBIs, while Mattingly had a triple, a double, three RBIs and two runs.
Smith earned the win as he pitched the four innings Saturday, allowing one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
Petty threw Monday’s two innings, giving up two unearned runs on no hits with four strikeouts and a walk.
Putnam County (26-8) advances to play Harvest Christian Academy (13-7) in a Harvest Christian Academy Sectional semifinal at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Lions beat North Shore Country Day 11-1 in the Harvest Christian Academy Regional championship Monday.
“Depending on when we play, I know weather is going to be an issue, I think we’ll have almost everybody available to throw,” Newsome said. “I’ve watched a couple games of Elgin online. They’re a pretty good club. They have a good left arm. But I like our changes. We have a pretty good nucleus of guys who have seen postseason runs before. These guys play non-stop and they’re competitors.”
Henry-Senachwine 4, Annawan-Wethersfield 0
Lance Kiesewetter was dominant on the mound Monday to lead the No. 2-seeded Mallards to the Class 1A Wethersfield Regional championship in Annawan.
It is Henry’s first regional championship since 2016 and the first under coach Matt Emmons.
“It’s huge,” Emmons said. “We had three goals coming into the season. We wanted 20 wins and we wanted a banner. Those were two of the three goals and we got them. It’s a heck of a feeling. We’ve wanted to win (a regional) the five years I’ve been here and we’ve been close. Now to finish the job feels pretty unbelievable.”
Kiesewetter allow just two hits, struck out 17 batters and walked just one in a complete game.
“I was just throwing strikes and trusting my pitches,” Kiesewetter said. “I got a lot of swings and misses throwing my changeup.
“Right away (I felt good on the mound). The first inning I struck out two in a row then they had a little blooper that got past, but we hunkered down and kept them from scoring.”
Kiesewetter did not allow a runner past second base.
“He single handedly just shut them down,” Emmons said. “It’s one of the best pitching performances I’ve ever seen.
“He mixed it up. He threw a lot of changeups and a lot of curveballs. He was around the zone. He just dominated.”
Kiesewetter was 2 for 3 at the plate and P.J. Ehrat tripled, scored a run and drove in a run, while Troy Westerdahl and Colton Williams each drove in a run.
“We laid down some bunts and played a lot of small ball like we’ve done all year,” Emmons said. “We are third all-time in IHSA history with 252 stolen bases this season. We stole one tonight and that was on a mistake by the pitcher where he went from his windup. They took away our bread and butter and we still found a way to score four runs against a very good pitcher.”
The Mallards (21-10) will play Delavan (17-5) in an Illinois Wesleyan University Sectional semifinal at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Panthers beat Heyworth 6-1 in the Delavan Regional championship Monday.
“I expect us to go play good baseball and give ourselves a shot,” Emmons said. “Lance pitched like a true ace tonight, but we have two more guys who are ready to go. I think we’ll compete.”