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Sometimes, when you’re the star player, everything seems to wind up coming down to you. For West Aurora’s Ryan Niedzwiedz, that turned out to be the case Tuesday.
The senior shortstop hit a solo home run in the first inning to start the scoring. He initiated a 6-3 double play to help the Blackhawks get out of a big jam in the sixth.
Then, in the seventh, he took over and earned his first save with three strikeouts.
“I know if I get an opportunity like this and we’re up one, I have to close it out like that,” Niedzwiedz said. “I just have to do my job. I want that win.”
Those wins keep coming for West Aurora. Behind Niedzwiedz’s all-everything performance, the Blackhawks notched a 5-4 victory over Oswego East in a Southwest Prairie West opener.
The Southern Illinois Edwardsville recruit reached base three times for the Blackhawks (7-5, 1-0), who have already matched last season’s total for overall and conference wins.
Sophomore Cooper Matheny threw his first varsity pitch ― resulting in the double play to end the sixth — to earn the win on the mound for West Aurora.
Oswego East (8-6, 0-1) got a two-run homer from Josh Polubinski. Bode Bregar pitched five solid innings to keep the Wolves in the game.
Niedzwiedz, meanwhile, had only thrown four pitches all season before Tuesday. He got the Wolves with a fastball that approached 90 mph. Two of the three strikeouts were looking.
“That was great,” Niedzwiedz said. “I’ve been waiting to get an opportunity the past couple times. When I get the opportunity I’m going to take it.”
His game plan on the mound was simple.
“Straight gas, that’s it,” Niedzwiedz said. “No curveball.”
These are the kinds of games that West Aurora coach John Reeves has come to expect.
“That’s kind of what we need,” Reeves said of Niedzwiedz. “Not to put any pressure on him, but you expect your best players to rise to the occasion and play at that level.
“He’s the best player on the field pretty much every day.”
Niedzwiedz established the tone early with his booming homer to right-center. That set the stage for a three-run first inning for the Blackhawks.
“He gave me a fastball and then a slider, so I knew he was going to come back with another fastball,” Niedzwiedz said. “He gave me a good pitch and I didn’t miss it. I’m feeling great at the plate.”
Niedzwiedz has hit six home runs this spring, more than halfway to the program record of 11. The Blackhawks didn’t score again until the sixth, though, keeping Oswego East in it.
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“Once Bode settled in, he was able to command the zone, command his off-speed and keep hitters off balance,” Oswego East coach Brian Schaeffer said. “That’s where he found his strength.
“He just got to the pitch limit, and the guys behind him have to execute.”
Josh Polubinski’s two-run homer was part of a three-run third that forced a tie. Jackson Petsche drove in Liam Mitchell with a sacrifice fly in the fourth to give the Wolves a 4-3 lead.
West Aurora took advantage of two walks and an error to score the tying and winning runs in the sixth. Payton Corral scored on Katcher King’s fielder’s choice. On the same play, a throw to first to try to turn the double play got loose. Emilio Ayala sprinted home with the winner.
Then it was time for Niedzwiedz to show off his latest talent — a high-end fastball that sealed the win.
“We haven’t been able to use him in the closer’s role yet,” Reeves said. “We’ve got him on the gun at 90-plus, but he was probably around 88. He did a nice job.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
