Wildcats record perfect game and no-hitter on same night

Baseball

     Maquoketa Valley had a perfect game and a no hitter in back-to-back games during a doubleheader sweep of Clinton Prince of Peace June 5 in Delhi, thrown by Brock Hillers and Trevor Elgin.

     Hillers fired a perfect game, as the Wildcats (8-4, 8-6) blanked Prince of Peace 15-0 in four innings in the first game. Hillers retired all 12 of the batters he faced, striking out four. Hillers also batted 3-for-4 with four runs batted in. Getting two hits apiece were Tyson Tucker, Norm Wilson, Cole Willenbring and Elgin. Kyle Wilson, Heath Gibbs, Tucker and Wilson had four RBIs apiece.

     Elgin followed with a no-hitter over six innings, striking out 13 and walking two. The Wildcats collected 14 hits, including two apiece from Zak Harbach, Clint Krapfl, Jon Seibert, Tucker and Wilson. Harbach and Krapfl each had two doubles.

     Those wins were part of a six-game week for the Wildcats, who won four of them. They traveled to Edgewood-Colesburg June 7 and picked up two more wins. MV won the first game 14-7, thanks mostly to a 10-run third inning. Alec McDowell and Harbach both went 4-for-5; McDowell had four RBIs and Harbach had two. Hillers, Wilson and Gibbs had two hits each. Krapfl, Wilson and Gibbs had two RBIs apiece. Willenbring pitched six innings for the win.

     The Wildcats then blanked Ed-Co 16-0 in four innings, with Wilson pitching a two-hitter. McDowell was 4-for-4 with three RBIs, and Hillers went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Willenbring was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, and Tucker was 2-for-4.

     On June 8, MV traveled to North Linn and lost a pair of games, 2-0 and 10-0. The ‘Cats were held to three hits in the first game, and just two in the nightcap, including a double by Tucker.

Softball

     Maquoketa Valley played pairs of games on three consecutive days last week, winning three of six.

     The Wildcats (5-3, 11-7) played a doubleheader at North Linn of Troy Mills Thursday, June 8, and split the two games, losing 1-0 and winning 4-2. The first game was scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning, when North Linn won it on a walkoff single. MV was held to two hits. Abby Holtz pitched for the Wildcats, allowing just one run on three hits, with two strikeouts and no walks.

     In the second game, MV took a 4-0 lead on a passed ball, an RBI single by Rejji Smith, an RBI ground out by Brianna Mensen and an error. The Lynx came back with two runs in the sixth inning, but the Wildcats held on. Ali Sheehy pitched for the win, with Holtz earning a save. They combined on a four-hitter.

     MV competed in the Jesup Tournament June 9-10, and went 2-2 to finish in fourth place. The Wildcats won both of their Friday games, starting with a 5-2 win over Don Bosco. A three-run fourth inning for the ‘Cats proved to be the difference. Payton Ries batted 3-for-3 with two doubles, and Mensen was 2-for-3. Maci Freiburger had a double and two RBIs. Sheehy pitched five innings to get the win, and Holtz worked the last two for a save.

     In Friday’s second game, the Wildcats edged West Delaware 4-3. MV trailed 3-2 after six innings, but scored twice in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by Payton Ries. Holtz pitched for the win, allowing seven hits. Centerfielder Macy Hoeger helped the cause with a diving catch in the sixth inning.

     “This was a total team effort,” Maquoketa Valley coach Mike Mensen said. “It isn’t always about getting hits; sometimes just putting the ball in play helps make good things happen. This was a huge win for our team against a traditionally very good and respected program.”

     On Saturday, the Wildcats lost a pair of games. Dubuque Hempstead handed MV a 10-1 defeat in the first game, as the ‘Cats were held to four hits. Payton Ries hit a solo homer.

     MV then lost to Jesup 4-0 in the third place game with four hits.

     “This team has the ability to play with the really good teams, but has to become more consistent from game to game,” Mensen said.