Baseball: Jack Wheeler, Morris walk off Sycamore to win Interstate 8 Conference championship

MORRIS – Big time players produce big time performances in big time games.

Jack Wheeler checked all those boxes during Wednesday’s game between Morris and Sycamore that decided the Interstate 8 Conference championship.

Wheeler, a Morris sophomore and Illinois commit, drove home Will Knapp with a single to left centerfield in the bottom of the seventh inning. It gave Morris a spine-tingling 6-5 walk-off victory along with its first conference championship since 2011 when Morris won the league crown as a member of the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference.

“It feels amazing to win a conference championship after so long.”

—  Jack Wheeler, Morris sophomore

Wheeler drove in three other runs while registering the pitching win in relief to complete his team’s historic day and his banner performance.

“Coming into this battle we knew we were going to face a tough Sycamore team that gave us our first conference loss yesterday (7-1) on their field, so I was really ready to come out and help lift my team up at home today,” Wheeler said. “It feels amazing to win a conference championship after so long since our school last did in baseball, and I’m very honored that I was part of it.”

Morris (22-4, 13-1) also got solid efforts from sophomore starting pitcher Brett Bounds (5 IP, 5 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 9 K, 0 BB), along with Knapp and A.J. Zweeres, who each recorded two hits and were keys in the moments before Wheeler’s heroics.

“What we saw today with Jack [Wheeler] at the plate and on the mound shows that he’s a gamer, wants to be the guy that makes things happen, and he sure did today,” Morris coach Todd Kein said. “In a tie game with the conference championship on the line he delivered, and I’m so proud of him as I am of the rest of this team. It’s a very special group of baseball players.”

Sycamore (22-4, 12-2) out-hit Morris 10-6, but the Spartans couldn’t find the way to a second consecutive I-8 title after wearing the crown in 2022.

“It was a great baseball game from start to finish, and after we got the win yesterday we knew Morris would come back punching, and they did,” Sycamore coach Jason Cavanaugh said. “Wheeler had two huge hits and came in on the mound in the last two innings and kept us scoreless like he’s supposed to so credit to him and Morris for a great performance. I’m happy for those guys because they earned the title today.”

Sycamore struck first in the top of the first inning against Bounds. Collin Severson reached on an error, and Tommy Townsend belted his sixth homer of the season to left center that gave the Spartans an early 2-0 lead.

Morris countered with five runs in the bottom of the second off Sycamore starting pitcher Jimmy Amptmann. Knapp and Zweeres had RBIs before Wheeler stroked a bases-loaded, three-run double to the fence in left center that put Morris up 5-2.

“I didn’t want to leave those guys on base, so I needed to do my job,” Wheeler said. “I knew a fastball was coming, and I hit it hard.”

The Spartans evened the game in the top of the fourth as three Morris errors led to three unearned runs against Bounds. Kiefer Tarnoki laced a two-run single that tied the score at 5.

Sycamore relief pitcher Conner Williar ( 4IP, 0 R, 1 H, 4 K, 1 BB) held Morris at bay until he exited the game in the bottom of the seventh in lieu of Townsend.

That’s where Morris struck championship magic.

Knapp led off with a sharp single to right, followed by Zweeres sacrifice bunt attempt that was misfielded by the Sycamore infield. All that was left was for Wheeler to deliver the game-winner that sent Morris to its first conference title in 12 years.

“From last year to this year it’s been a huge turnaround for us,” Wheeler said. “This season we wanted to prove what a great championship team we are. But there’s more work to be done with regionals up next. I can’t wait for it.”