By Fred Kroner
Prairieview-Ogden registered the highest IESA state finish in baseball in school history on Monday (Oct. 4).
The Mustangs finished as the Class 1A state runners-up, dropping a 6-3 title-game decision to once-beaten Lexington in the finals. The game was delayed by 48 hours due to rain on Saturday at the East Side Centre, in East Peoria.
PVO scored all of its runs in the third inning and carried a 3-1 lead into the fourth inning. Lexington (23-1) went ahead to stay with a three-run fifth inning.
The PVO offense combined for seven hits, including two apiece from Graham Ray and Kodey McKinney. Ray, McKinney and Parker Fitch scored the Mustangs’ runs.
Hayes and Dalton York shared the pitching duties. Hayes worked 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits while striking out six batters.
In 1 2/3 innings, York recorded three strikeouts.
In school history, four PVO teams have played for IESA state championships and wound up in second place. Sharing recognition as the highest state placers in school history with the 2021 baseball team are the 2020 boys’ basketball team, the 2015 girls’ volleyball team and the 2009 boys’ basketball team.
“Very proud of the team for all they accomplished this year,” said PVO coach Greg Immke, whose 20-4 squad established a school mark for single-season wins.
“We fell one game short of what our goal was that we set the first day of practice.”
PVO had 21 athletes playing baseball this year. The five eighth-graders were: Coy Hayes, Parker Fitch, Vance McComas, Kodey McKinney and Graham Ray.
“We’ve had some strong hitting all season and it was a close game (4-3 score in the title game until the seventh inning),” Immke said. “I feel terrible for the kids, the community and the school.
“As a coach, will learn from this run at the state tournament and try to improve moving forward.”
Two PVO players had hits in all three tournament games: Fitch and Lane McKinney.
Hayes was the catalyst in an 8-2 semifinal triumph over Mount Pulaski on Saturday (Oct. 2). Mount Pulaski finished its season with an 18-3 record and a fourth-place finish.
Hayes slugged a pair of three-run home runs. His first blast helped PVO build a 3-2 lead in the third inning against Mount Pulaski. His second shot was part of a five-run sixth inning, which concluded the game’s scoring.
Winning pitcher Lane McKinney hurled a complete game, striking out nine and permitting four hits.
Kodey McKinney joined Hayes with two hits in the game. One of his hits was a double.
On Friday (Oct. 1), Prairieview Ogden broke a 5-5 tie with a two-run sixth inning and clinched an IESA semifinal berth in baseball for the first time in school history.
In the Class 1A quarterfinals, PVO edged Effingham Sacred Heart, 7-5.
Fitch and McComas each laced two hits against Sacred Heart. One of Fitch’s hits was a home run.
Other teammates to register hits in their state debuts were York, Lane McKinney and Kaden Wedig.
PVO outhit its opponent, 7-5, for its fifth consecutive victory.
Fitch pitched the first 4 1/3 innings, striking out seven and yielding four hits. Hayes finished on the mound and earned the win, allowing one hit in his stint.
Effingham Sacred Heart ended its season with a 14-4 record.
For the season, PVO registered five shutouts, four by Fitch and one by Hayes.
Other squad members with pitching wins this season were Jemesen Ehler, Lane McKinney, Ray and York.
Ten of the PVO wins this season were by margins of at least 10 runs.
