Metea Valley baseball battles back to beat East Aurora in the Regional Quarterfinals

Metea Valley baseball hosts East Aurora in an IHSA Regional Quarterfinal matchup. The Mustangs enter after falling to Wheaton South, while the Tomcats are 2-21 on the season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.

East Aurora baseball opens the game with four unanswered runs

The game would start scoreless until the top of the second when Tomcat Kentrell Mclaurin attempts to steal second.  The throw from catcher Matt Reilly is too high allowing third base runner Cristobal Ruiz to steal home and putting East Aurora up 1-0.  

Mclaurin’s hot start would continue.  Now in the top of the third, he hits a chip shot that the shortstop can’t corral.  It gives enough time for second base runner Andrew Naster to make it home extending the Tomcats’ lead up 2-0.  

The errors for Metea continue on the next at-bat, as a wild pitch goes behind home base allowing Kevin Pena to score from third and tripling it to a 3-0 Tomcats lead.  

Metea Valley baseball responds in the bottom of the third

Now down 4-0, the Mustangs look to charge in the bottom of the third.  With a runner on first, Kyle Bucher hits a fly ball that sails to the back of center field.  He makes it to second for a double and advances Cole Pittman to third.  

On the next at-bat, Jeremy Wrona hits a grounder to first that can’t be handled by the first basemen, allowing Pittman to make it home and putting Metea on the board down 4-1.  

Next up is Owen Myket, who hits a grounder to second causing himself and Wrona to be tagged out, but it also allows Bucher to get home cutting Metea’s deficit in half at 4-2.  

Mustangs continue to add on more runs with everyone getting in on the hit party

Myket would take the mound in relief of Dominic Livorsi, and the Mustang defense quickly improves.  Myket gets two quick strikeouts of Julio Gallegos and Ivan Nevarez to keep the game within reach.  

Then in the top of the fifth, Metea’s infield steps up.  Giovanni Velazquez hits a grounder out to right field for a single, as Axel Garcia races to home trying to give the Tomcats a run, but the throw is made and Reilly tags him out to end the inning and stop a Tomcat score.  

Then in the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs charge forward.  With runners on first and third, Wrona hits another ground ball to right field allowing Pittman to score again cutting the lead to 4-3.  

Next up is Myket who hits a line drive out to center field that bounces towards the back wall.  It allows Bucher and Wrona to score as Myket makes it to third for a triple giving Metea its first lead of the day at 5-4.  

Now up 6-4, the Mustangs keep the bats cracking.  Tyler Gluting hits another line drive out to right field, it gives plenty of time for Liam Wagner to race from first to home as Metea goes up now 7-4.  

Metea Valley baseball defeats East Aurora and will play Waubonsie Valley in the Regional Semifinals

The Mustangs would score three more runs to make it 10-4 before Jeremy Wrona adds to it.  He hits a fly ball deep to right field that is gone for a two-run home run as the Mustangs keep pounding now up 12-4.  

Now up 13-4, they need one more run to win via mercy rule and they get it, as Liam Wagner hits a pop-up to left field that can’t be caught by the Tomcats defense allowing Connor Lavery to get home.  Metea scores 14 unanswered runs to win 14-4 over East Aurora and will play Waubonsie Valley in the Regional Semis.