DARIEN - Senior catcher Alex Lincoln thought Neuqua Valley might have endured an eight-error inning earlier this season. The Wildcats did after all have to sit through an ugly nine-run inning during an 11-10 loss at Benet several weeks back.
"Early on, (if) we had a mistake or an error, we kept spiraling out of control," Lincoln said after Thursday's 5-0 regional semifinal victory over Romeoville. "Now, (we) had a mistake early in the game and we learned how to buckle down and we were playing pretty much flawless defense."
Whether it was Lincoln throwing out a runner trying to steal, or first baseman Jordan Williamson landing on the bag after jumping for a high throw, Neuqua was clicking.
And don't forget Mike Bogar beginning a 6-4-3 double play from his knee deep in the hole at short. Second baseman Ryan Wagner made the turn at second and another Romeoville threat was over before it even began.
That's why Neuqua coach Robin Renner could only find fault in one throw across the diamond, which still wasn't initially ruled an error, and a misjudged fly ball that landed in shallow left for a single.
Otherwise, Renner said, "That was about as perfect a game as we could play. (That) may never happen again. It just worked out that way."
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