It’s a crosstown classic baseball regional final edition with Naperville Central and Naperville North going to war with each team looking to end regional droughts that extend over a decade. The Redhawks come in after an 8-0 semifinal win over Bolingbrook and now look to swing to their first regional title since 2015. The Huskies took down West Aurora in their previous game and haven’t won a regional since 2010. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Pitching and defense keep teams off the scoreboard
We’re scoreless in the bottom of the second. Huskie pitcher Max Steele keeps it that way with a strikeout on Casey Cooperkawa.
The Huskies load them up in the third, but Max Henson and Ashton Feldott team up at home plate to retire the side and keep North off the board.
In the fourth inning, Huskie Aiden Kirkpatrick thinks he gets a favorable roller, but Cooper Page makes a sliding stop and a solid throw to Cooperkawa at first base for the out.
Can Jermaine Kenady follow that up with a hit? He thinks so, but Caden Vorwick has other plans as he dives to make the catch. Nobody is giving up an inch.
Christian Bartles and Ryan Marker with clutch hits for Central
To the fifth inning, where Christian Bartles sends a hit into fair territory. Bartles puts enough beef on it so he will take second for a double and celebrate with the discount double check.
Then Ryan Marker marks right center as his target with a hit that gets down, and here comes Bartles for the first run of the day. It’s 1-0 Redhawks through five thanks to an RBI by the Marker.
The field continues to keep its composure. What looks to be a Paxton Freeborn foul ball turns into King Mike Page putting a stop to it by catching the fly ball to end the top of the sixth.
Bartles looks to add more insurance for the home team, but Jack Ruderman makes a great catch at short to end the inning, and the Huskies have life as we head to the seventh.
Naperville Central wins first baseball regional since 2015
Two outs with Ruderman as the last shot for the Huskies, and he slaps a line drive towards right. Casey Cooperkawa steps up in the right place to snag the ball, and we have a winner. For the first time since 2015, Naperville Central is a baseball regional champion. The Redhawks take the 1-0 victory and will move to the sectional semis, where they’ll face Hinsdale Central on Wednesday at Lockport.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.
