Four games into his varsity career, James Gargano isn’t feeling the pressure for Neuqua Valley.
The opportunity to bat leadoff for a program used to winning and winning big, the junior shortstop is just worried about doing his job.
On a cold and rainy Tuesday afternoon in Aurora, Gargano helped the Wildcats get off to the right foot in DuPage Valley Conference play.
Sparked by Gargano, the Wildcats pounded out 10 hits while using three three-run innings late to overwhelm Metea Valley, 11-1.
“I just know – as a leadoff hitter – I got to get on base somehow,” said Gargano, who was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. “Memphis, I mean, my first at-bat – I hit a home run. But I’m just trying to get base hits, get on base, so I can start off and hopefully get into scoring position after I steal.”
While Gargano was setting the table, Eric Nelson, Kevin Ringlein and Jake Dupre were doing their thing in bringing in the runs.
Nelson, Ringlein and Dupre all recorded at least two RBI for Neuqua Valley (3-1, 1-0), with Nelson’s five RBI leading the way.
Nelson’s bases-clearing double during a three-run sixth off Mustangs’ reliever Joey Coryell helped break the game open for the Wildcats.
“It started down in Memphis,” Gargano said. “We were swinging the bats really well. We were really hot down there and we just brought it all the way back here. We put some good swings on some good pitches.”
The Mustangs (2-2, 0-1) immediately answered a Nelson RBI groundout in the first for the Wildcats after just one at-bat in their half of the inning.
Jack Feeley’s inside-the-park home run to center off Wildcats’ right-hander Connor Rektorski to lead off the Mustangs’ portion of the first brought them even.
But Rektorski wasn’t fazed.
“Right when they hit that, I was like, ‘all right, let’s bear down now,” Rektorski said. “I just had to really focus on ‘we need to attack.’ That curveball I threw to him wasn’t a very good pitch. It should have been in the dirt. Came back and started to bear down on it.”
Rektorski settled in as the game went on, with three consecutive perfect innings to close out his day on the mound as proof.
In six innings, Rektorski scattered three hits while striking out six and walking just one.
“Fastball was working real good for me,” Rektorski said. “The curveball was iffy, in-and-out. First inning, it wasn’t there; second inning, it wasn’t there and then the third inning – finally the curveball was there. I didn’t throw the changeup one time.”
Metea Valley got five innings from starter Matt Vass, who was charged with three earned runs on seven hits while fanning four, but couldn’t muster much offensively.
Jacob Aske’s single in the seventh off Wildcats’ reliever Mason LeBreck marked the Mustangs’ first hit since a Feeley single in the third.
“We didn’t compete very well,” Metea Valley coach Craig Tomczak said. “That’s the bottom line. … It comes down to we didn’t compete. We didn’t compete in the batters’ box. We made too many mistakes defensively. That’s the game. I mean, who knows? You compete a little bit better, maybe it’s a little bit different story and you’re in the game late. But we just didn’t compete enough. That’s the most disappointing part.”
