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The West Central Middle School baseball team wrapped up their season last weekend in Peoria. On Friday, September 26, the Heat once again erased an early deficit to defeat Staunton and advance to the Final Four.
The Terriers jumped out to an early lead with a run in the bottom of the first. A pair of singles and an error plated the first run of the game. The Heat limited the damage thanks to a double play to end the inning.
After both teams went scoreless in the second inning, the Terriers built on their lead in the bottom of the third. A leadoff triple and an RBI groundout made it 0-2 Staunton after three innings.
West Central got on the board in the top of the fourth thanks to a big two-out double by Jacob Ford. The hit plated Wyatt Goff, who reached on a single to lead off the inning.
The Terriers answered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out RBI hit of their own to expand their lead back to two at 1-3.
The top of the fifth didn’t start promisingly for the Heat, as the first two batters were retired on the first four pitches of the inning. However, Liam Winters sparked a two-out rally with a ringing double to left.
Mason Crum quickly followed with an RBI single to center. Brady Gregg came on to run for Crum and advanced to second on a Goff single.
Both runners moved up 60 feet on a Kyle Meyer single to load the bases. Nathan Good worked a walk to push across the tying run and cap the two-out rally.
The Terriers went quietly in the bottom of the fifth, and both teams were held scoreless in the sixth, keeping the score 3-3 heading into the final frame.
West Central finally claimed the lead in the top of the seventh. After a pair of one-out walks by Meyer and Good, Ford smacked a ground ball up the middle to plate Meyer.
The Heat added an insurance run with a ground ball hit by Tucker Corzatt that was misplayed by the Staunton second baseman, allowing Good to score.
The Terriers ended the inning with a double play, but the Heat headed to the bottom of the seventh with a 5-3 lead.
The first batter for Staunton reached on a leadoff single, but Tyler Ricketts struck out the next batter, forced a flyout, and struck out the final batter to end the game and propel the Heat into the semifinals on Saturday.
Ricketts recorded the win, pitching three innings while allowing no runs on two hits and striking out four.
Meyer got the start for the Heat, pitching four innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, and striking out one. Neither Heat pitcher allowed a Terrier to reach via a walk.
At the plate, Winters finished 2-for-4 with a double. Ford was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Crum and Good both recorded RBIs in the victory.
In the semifinal game against Peru Parkside on Saturday, September 27, the Heat again found themselves in an early hole. A leadoff walk followed by an error on a bunt attempt put two on with no outs for the Raiders. \
An RBI groundout followed by a sacrifice fly gave Peru Parkside an early two-run lead after one inning.
The Raiders doubled their lead in the bottom of the third. Three two-out singles that found the turf in right-center field led to two more Raider runs, making it 0-4 after three.
West Central got on the board in the top of the fourth thanks to a two-out RBI single by Goff that plated Winters.
Winters reached base on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on an errant throw by the Raiders attempting to turn two after Ricketts led off the inning with a single.
Unfortunately, the Heat couldn’t work any late-game magic, and the game ended with a score of 1-4.
Ricketts finished the game 2-for-3, while Goff recorded one hit in three attempts with the Heat’s lone RBI.
Goff took the loss, pitching four innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits, striking out five and walking three. Winters came on in relief and pitched two innings, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out one.
The Heat’s second game of the day, against Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the third-place game, also found the Heat in an early hole. A walk and a pair of singles by the Irish led to two runs in the bottom of the second.
Three straight hits to leadoff the bottom of the third led to three more runs, and the Irish lead grew to 0-5.
Winters plated a run for the Heat, driving in Tanner Burrell on a one-out double after Burrell led off the inning with a single.
The Irish tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth, and the game ended with a score of 1-6, locking the Heat into fourth place in 2A for 2025.
Burrell, Ricketts, Crum, and Ford all recorded a single. Winters wrapped up the game 1-for-3 with a double and added an RBI.
Brady Gregg got the start, going four innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out one. Winters again came on in relief and threw two innings, allowing zero earned runs on one hit while striking out a pair.
West Central’s fantastic season closed with a final record of 16-5. This marks just the second time WCMS has reached the State Tournament in its 20-year history. West Central reached the championship game in 2012, finishing second that year.
The Heat’s 2025 season was a remarkable journey, showcasing resilience and teamwork. Finishing fourth in 2A, the team’s performance at the State Tournament highlighted their potential and set a strong foundation for future success.