Chargers apply pressure to Rockets’ defense, create sectional title game showdown with Irish

CHILLICOTHE, Ill. — Sometimes putting the ball in play is enough to get the job done.

The Illini West baseball players took that approach to heart.

The Chargers continually applied pressure to Rockridge’s defense during Wednesday’s Class 2A Chillicothe IVC Sectional semifinal, using a mix of hard ground balls, solid liners and strategically timed bunts to generate plenty of offense in an 11-2 victory.

“We played really sound defensively and put pressure on them by putting the ball in play and good things happened,” Illini West coach Zack Burling said. “We didn’t make a lot of hard contact. We were finding holes, but if you put the ball in play, especially in high school, good things are going to happen most of the time.”

The best thing to come from it is the opportunity to play for the program’s first sectional title since 2015. The Chargers (28-4) will face Peoria Notre Dame (21-10) at 2 p.m. Saturday in the sectional championship game with the winner advancing to Monday’s Geneseo Super-Sectional.

“I’d say we’re pretty similar,” Burling said.

The Irish beat Spring Valley Hall 4-1 in Wednesday’s other semifinal, manufacturing three runs in the fifth inning thanks to a walk, a fielder’s choice, a single, a stolen base and an error.

The Chargers did a better job of putting the ball in play to make things happen, picking up 13 hits against two Rockets pitchers.

Illini West struck first, scoring with two outs in the first inning as Wesley Robertson, Shawn Watkins Jr. and Ethan Carlisle collected back-to-back-to-back singles.

Rockridge tied the game in the bottom of the second inning, but a six-run inning for Illini West followed. Colby Robertson led off with a single, Wesley Robertson reached on an error and Watkins was safe on a fielder’s choice.

Carlisle drove in both Robertson brothers with a single, and after the first out of the inning, Stephen Sparks singled to plate another run. Max Kinnamon’s sacrifice got another run home before Carter Chapin finished the outburst with a two-run double.

That spelled the end of Rockridge left-handed starter Ryan Oelke, who allowed seven runs and six hits over 2 ⅔ innings. Rockets right-handed freshman Cullen Schwigen kept the Chargers off the scoreboard until the seventh. 

“He was throwing some gas,” Burling said. “He had trouble locating his secondary pitch, so it was easier for the hitters to time up the fastball and be prepared for that. … We did a good job of adjusting to the velo switch from the softer lefty to the hard righty.”

A four-run seventh inning put the game away. Chapin had a two-run single, while Wesley Robertson and Watkins delivered back-to-back RBI singles.

Nick Bruns threw the first 4 ⅔ innings for Illini West, allowing one earned run and four hits while striking out five and walking two. Wesley Robertson tossed the final 2 ⅓ innings with four strikeouts.