Baseball: Newman to play for third place Saturday after ‘uncharacteristic’ loss Friday

PEORIA – The Newman Central Catholic baseball team is determined to show that Friday’s 11-1 loss in five innings to Maroa-Forsyth at Dozer Park in the Class 2A state semifinals was not characteristic.

It was the Comets’ largest loss of the season and snapped a 17-game winning streak dating to an April 15 setback to Hall.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve felt a loss,” Newman coach Kenny Koerner said. “You could just tell it isn’t sitting well. People want to get on the field and play, so we’re really hoping the weather cooperates and we get a chance to get back out there and show everybody down in Peoria what we can do.”

The 2A third-place game is scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday after the 1A third-place game and championship, but rain is in Saturday’s forecast.

On Friday, the Trojans (27-4) erupted for eight runs in the third inning as senior Kaiden Maurer (6-0) went on to throw a one-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks.

Sophomore Garet Wolfe (6-1) got the start for Newman.

Things got away from the Comets in the third after they tried to turn a double play but the ball was dropped at second base.

“It just seemed like the game got a little fast on us. I thought it sped up and we were out of character,” Koerner said. “And maybe, just the bigger stage played into it. But I give Maroa credit, they took advantage of it and they squared up some balls.”

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Members of the Newman baseball team walk off of the field after being defeated by Maroa-Forsyth 11-1 during the Class 2A semifinal game on Friday, May 31, 2024 at Dozer Park in Peoria. (Scott Anderson)

Maurer, a Lake Land College baseball commit, threw 52 strikes in his 67-pitch outing.

Newman did not get a hit until Garrett Matznick led off the bottom of the fourth with a single. He came around to score on an error, but the Comets did not reach base again.

“They’re a really good baseball team and their pitcher did a nice job setting the tone for them,” Koerner said. “I thought he was really good out of the gates. ... We struggled to get anything going early.”

Capitalizing on the other team’s mistakes has been part of Newman’s mode of operation this season, but the Trojans nearly played flawlessly. They finished with 10 hits with four doubles as five players had RBIs.

“This time, they turned the tables and did it to us,” Koerner said. “It’s obviously disappointing.”

Koerner said there were discussions to start returning all-state senior pitcher and center fielder Brendan Tunink, but they stuck with the script they have used all of this season. Tunink, a University of Notre Dame baseball recruit, has been used sparingly as a pitcher this season as he has hopes to play professionally.

“We wanted to stay true to what got us here, what’s been working in the regular and postseason,” Koerner said. “We were trying to get three out of Garet, maybe four, to bridge to Brendan. But we just thought, at this point, what got us here is what we wanted to ride with, and that’s what our decision was.”

The Trojans came into the game on a roll offensively and have outscored their opponents 50-12 during the postseason.

“We’ve just been ripping the ball and it doesn’t matter who they bring in,” said Trojans coach Sean Martin. “It’s kind of been the tale of our postseason. And when you put eight up there like that, you kind of take a deep breath.”

Newman has a chance to match last year’s third-place finish in 1A in its second trip to state, weather permitting.

“Hopefully, we can play the third-place game,” Tunink said, “and hopefully win it and do our thing.”

“Everybody talks all postseason that any game could be your last,” Newman senior Isaiah Williams said. “This is the last game, no matter what, so just soaking it in and enjoying it while I can with the guys on this team.”