JOLIET - Neuqua Valley pounded Prairie Ridge 15-6 last month in Naperville, but little could be gleaned from that nonconference game, with both teams saving top pitchers for other opponents.
"I think it was in the back of everyone's head...the way that last game went," Prairie Ridge shortstop Bobby Martin said. "Neither team really threw any of their real good pitchers but (it) was a good experience to go through that (and) really come out after 'em this game."
By Friday night, after Michael Heesch had shut down Neuqua in a 7-1 win, and Prairie Ridge had scored six unearned runs, a more telling lesson could perhaps be found in last season's Class AA title game. The Wildcats beat New Trier 5-1 despite notching only one hit, taking advantage of two errors and scoring all five of their runs in the fourth.
"One play could give you a win. One play could cost you the game," Neuqua coach Robin Renner said. "So many times that play has allowed us to win the game, you know, over the last couple years. You know last year with the one hit...and a lot of times this year...This year it went the other way on us."
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