Baseball: Timely hits, pitching send Princeton past BV

PRINCETON – The Princeton Tigers had one hit that didn’t leave the infield that led to two runs, and a bloop hit just over the infield to score two more.

Both added up nicely, nonetheless, to a 6-1 win over rival Bureau Valley behind pitchers Ryan Brucker and Tyler Forristall in a Class 2A regional semifinal Thursday at Prather Field.

“It was a good battle. We got some good timely hits. Got some runs and got a little nice separation, that was nice to see,” Princeton coach Wick Warren said.

The Tigers (18-6) advance to Saturday’s regional final against top-seed Sherrard at 1 p.m., seeking their first regional championship since the 2005 team won the sectional. The Sherrard Tigers beat Kewanee 13-3 in Wednesday’s semifinals.

“It’s going to be awesome. I’m very excited for it,” Brucker said.

Princeton got all the scoring it would need with four runs on three hits in the third inning.

Forristall reached on an infield hit and Jordan Reinhardt kept the inning going with a two-out single. Brucker drew a walk to load the bases.

Danny Cihocki reached on an infield hit up the middle, which Storm shortstop Sam Rouse gloved, but overthrew second trying for a force out as both Forristall and Reinhardt scored.

After a hit by Ace Christiansen loaded the bases up again, Noah LaPorte was hit by a pitch to score one run, and Will Lott drew a free pass to plate another to make it 4-0.

In the fifth, Cihocki flared a single to short left to bring home Augie Christiansen (walk) and Reinhardt (HBP), who moved both up on a wild pitch, to put the Tigers on top 6-1.

The Storm (13-13), who put their first two batters of the game on base but did not score in the first inning, scored their lone run in the fourth when Corban Chhim reached on an error with the bases loaded.

BV tried to get a rally going with two hits with two outs in the seventh off Forristall, who relieved Brucker in the fifth. By the time the Storm fans thought they had something to cheer about, Isaac Attig was thrown out by Tiger second baseman Will Lott on his hit to short right field trying to stretch it into a double to end the game.

”I thought our guys competed well. We gave ourselves plenty of opportunities. We didn’t cash some in,” BV coach Ryan Schisler said. “We hit some balls hard at their guys, and they hit some that weren’t as hard and they weren’t at guys. And sometimes that’s the game. It was just their day.

“Shoot, we’re an inch away from catching that little blooper on the infield and it’s a whole different game. That’s baseball. That’s why it’s a great game.”

Brucker allowed one unearned run and four hits with eight strikeouts over four innings work for the win.

“It felt good out there. Couple missed fastballs, but we worked around it. Got the ‘dub’ [win]. That’s all that matters,” he said.

He said getting the early lead “is nice going out there knowing you got a little cushion and can attack them a little more.”

Brucker said it was all planned out depending on the score how long he would go.

“If we got up, there was no point to keep me out there for 115 [pitches],” he said. “Bring the reliever in, knowing he was going to go in there and get the job done. [Tyler’s] been dealing all season. Knew he was going to come in there and get the job done. Didn’t expect anything other than that.”

Warren said Brucker and Forristall (3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K), who combined for 12 strikeouts, we’re a good 1-2 punch.

“Ryan did a good job of bulldogging. Tyler has pitched real well the last half of the season. Real good to have somebody like that,” he said.

Cihocki (3 RBIs) and Forristall each had two hits for the Tigers.