Mustangs finish season in IESA Class 1A Championship game

By Fred Kroner

Prairieview Ogden Junior High posted back-to-back wins in the Champaign St. Matthew Class 1A IESA regional baseball tournament to advance into the championship game against the host school.

In the title game, on Monday (Sept. 18), PVO was shut out by top-seeded St. Matthew, 8-0, in Champaign, in a season-ending loss.

Casen Goff and Kavin VanEtta each had two hits for the Mustangs.

In the quarterfinals, second-seeded PVO topped seventh-seeded Homer Heritage, 17-2, on Wednesday (Sept. 13). In the semifinals on Saturday (Sept. 16), the Mustangs defeated Champaign Holy Cross, 13-3.

Against Holy Cross, the first three batters in coach Greg Immke’s lineup all produced three hits and scored three runs: Logan Wedig, Lane McKinney and Jameson Ehler.

Ehler delivered four RBI. Wedig swiped four bases and McKinney stole two bases.

Wyatt McKinney and Lucas Waters both collected two hits. Waters stole three bases and Casen Goff swiped two bases for a team that ended with 17 stolen bases.

Wedig pitched a complete-game two-hitter. He walked two and struck out four. In five pitching appearances this season, he did not allow an earned run.

Holy Cross scored two runs in the top of the first, but PVO responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning and never trailed again while finishing the game by the 10-run rule.

Against Heritage, Jebb Aden and Cale Ackerman combined on a no-hitter. Aden worked 2 2/3 innings, walking one and fanning five batters. Ackerman notched the final out via a strikeout.

PVO used a 14-run second inning to take an insurmountable lead.

Ehler slammed three hits, two doubles and a triple. He knocked in three runs as did Wyatt McKinney and Waters.

Wedig and Wyatt McKinney collected two hits apiece. Wedig and Brady Ramm each drove in two runs. Ramm’s RBIs came on a double.

PVO finished the year with a 14-3 after having a six-game winning streak ended by St. Matthew.

Lane McKinney (.561) was the team’s top hitter, among players with at least 10 at-bats, followed by Ehler (.469), Goff (.400), Wedig (.400), VanEtta (.371), Wyatt McKinney (.357) and Royce Loschen (.300).

Lane McKinney led in stolen bases (18), followed by Waters (15) and Wedig (15). The leaders in runs scored were Lane McKinney (35), Wedig (28) and Ehler (27).

Ehler (29) and Wyatt McKinney (22) delivered the most RBIs.

Among pitchers, the leaders in wins were Ehler (3-0), Ackerman (2-0), Aden (2-0), Lane McKinney (2-1), VanEtta (2-0) and Wedig (2-1).

Lane McKinney (35) and Ehler (29) had the most strikeouts.