Local article on Normal and Normal West games against Rock Island on Tuesday.
Intercity baseball
By Pantagraph staff
Stewart powers Wildcats
Through four innings of baseball Tuesday, Normal West High School's Matt Caslow and Rock Island's G.J. Elston were in a pitchers duel. The Wildcats' Luke Stewart changed that with his second at bat.
The University of Georgia recruit belted a solo homer in the fifth inning to provide the only offense Caslow would need en route to a 4-0 nonconference win at Normal. Stewart added to the lead in the next inning. West (3-1) loaded the bases with two outs and Stewart ripped a three-run double.
"He's definitely hitting the ball well," West coach Chris Hawkins said. "He hit a walk-off home run Saturday (against Lincoln) and he was big with two outs today. His three-run double broke the game open."
Stewart struck out the side in the seventh inning to close out the win for Caslow. Caslow allowed one hit in six innings, striking out four.
"He was on today," Hawkins said. "It was little wet, damp and cold, but he battled. He didn't have a lot of strikeouts, but he was in control. He got ahead in the count constantly."
Normal Community 10, Rock Island 10
Skyler Peak's timely hitting and Blake Bloodworth's stellar relief pitching helped Normal Community secure a 10-10 tie with Rock Island at Normal West.
The Ironmen trailed 10-1 before Bloodworth came on to get the final out of the third inning. With two gone in its own half of the inning, NCHS rallied for four straight hits and a walk to score four runs.
Bloodworth would go on to hold Rock Island scoreless for the next three innings, while striking out two and allowing just one hit.
"Blake Bloodworth showed great senior leadership," said NCHS coach Ryan Short. "He did a nice job. He kept us in the game."
The Ironmen offense came back to life in the sixth, scoring five runs to tie the game. The final run came when pinch runner Mason Weatherly scored on a wild pitch.
Alex Buck walked two and struck out one in the seventh but did not allow a run. NCHS also got two on in the seventh and failed to score.
The game was almost called after the sixth because Normal West was slated to play Rock Island at 2:30, but Short said Wildcat coach Chris Hawkins agreed to let the NCHS game go another inning.
Peak had three hits, including a double, and drove in three runs to lead the Ironmen. Jon Moore, who allowed three earned runs in an inning of work, came through with two hits and two runs battted in.
NCHS starter Brad Jahnke was pulled after surrendering four runs on three hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.
