Robin Renner wasn’t going there, but the proclamation was enough to send a message.
No, James Kulak isn’t Ian Krol. But – in Renner’s view – Kulak and Krol do share some similar pitching DNA.
In the toughest of circumstances on Thursday night against 10th-seeded Plainfield East, the Wildcats’ sophomore lefty showed why.
Behind another solid performance on the mound from Kulak, sixth-seeded Neuqua Valley cruised to an 11-0, five-inning victory over Plainfield East in a Class 4A Oswego Sectional Semifinal.
“I told him, ‘You didn’t have your command like you normally have, but you compete as well as anyone could possibly compete,’” Renner said of Kulak. “(John Fumagalli) and I were talking – he said in 2008, we went down and played a super-sectional game at U of I.
“Ian Krol walked the bases loaded with nobody out. So went out there and I chewed his butt and he goes the next three hitters (and throws nine straight strikes), walked off. I mean, that’s the type of personality and attitude that he had and the way he competed. I think James is – I mean, I’m not saying he’s Ian Krol. What I’m saying is he’s got that same demeanor.”
Kulak’s innate ability to not panic in the scariest of moments helped pull Neuqua Valley (24-13) out of the fire not once, but twice.
In two separate innings, the Bengals (20-17) loaded the bases – only to see Kulak take his game to another notch.
After two singles and a walk loaded the bases three batters into the game, a comebacker off Joe Antonopolous’ bat started a 1-2-3 double play. A strikeout ended that threat quickly.
Three innings later, Plainfield East got a walk and a double to start the top of the fourth.
Kulak responded by striking out three of the next four hitters in the inning to strand the bases loaded and keep the Bengals off the board.
“I was looking at a slight chance (of getting out of that inning unscathed),” said Kulak, who improved to 7-2 on the year, of the Bengals’ first. “I mean, starting off like that – it’s just not a good start. I just didn’t really imagine getting out of that inning without any runs.”
The Wildcats, no doubt spurred on by what they had just seen in the first, put three runs quickly on the board off Plainfield East starter Mitch Koran.
Four straight hits to start the inning helped get matters going in earnest as RBI singles from Kevin Ringlein and Will Drake recorded the first two runs of the game.
But Neuqua Valley wasn’t even close to being done.
An eight-run, six-hit rally with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the second helped drive Koran from the game as 10 straight Wildcats successfully reached base.
Shortstop James Gargano, who recorded an out to his counterpart for the second out of the inning, came back up to line a two-run single.
“Most importantly, we were having fun – to be honest,” Gargano said of the second-inning uprising. “I mean, it was up and down the lineup. We were just ambushing them. That first inning – that Kulak double play right there – that was the turning point definitely. That was the biggest play of the game, in my opinion.”
Eight players for Neuqua Valley picked up at least one hit, with Gargano, Nelson and Drake each coming through with two hits.
Six Wildcats knocked in at least one run while Gargano, Drake, Tyler Cristofaro and Jake Wenz all recorded two RBI.
“I was just thinking that my team’s supporting me,” Kulak said, “and I can just go out there – as long as I pound the zone – that we’re going to get the ‘W.’”
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