According to Neuqua Valley coach Robin Renner, his team has seven more Upstate Eight Conference games remaining, and St. Charles North already has five losses in conference. If both teams win out, Neuqua could clinch the title during next week's series against Bartlett.
As Neuqua catcher Geoff Rowan said after Wednesday's 1-0 victory over St. Charles East: "We're in control of our own destiny."
The Wildcats (21-3, 16-1) used a solo home run from senior outfielder Chris Kruppe, and another dominant pitching performance from lefty Ian Krol, to extend their winning streak to 15 games.
That conspired against St. Charles East's Chris Burgess, who scattered five hits and struck out six in five innings, in a game that was continued from where it was suspended on April 8.
"(Burgess) probably pitched, quite honestly, our best game of the year," St. Charles East coach Mark Foulkes said. "He threw three pitches for strikes. He did a good job (to) keep them off-balance. They hit the one pitch out, that made the difference."
For Neuqua, Krol has been an obvious difference maker, and so has a defense strengthened at the corner positions. The Wildcats last loss came on April 15 to St. Charles North.
"I really think it's the improvement in our infield, cause we started off a little shaky defensively...Our first game was like an 18-10 (win at Plainfield South). It was like a football score," Kruppe said. "You don't see any of those mistakes in the infield anymore. It used to just easy plays we weren't able to make but now we're turnin' double plays left and right and that's just, again, people relying on each other and everyone (trusting) each other."
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