McIlwain shows off his baseball skills as C.R. North beats Conestoga
If Brandon McIlwain wasn't already committed to playing football at South Carolina, Division I baseball coaches would no doubt be flocking to Newtown.
If Brandon McIlwain wasn't already committed to playing football at South Carolina, Division I baseball coaches would no doubt be flocking to Newtown.
On the diamond for Council Rock North, the athletic junior is a hard-slugging shortstop, a better than average pitcher, and a terrific clutch performer.
McIlwain put on a show in a PIAA District 1 Class AAAA quarterfinal Friday at Conestoga. He clubbed a pair of home runs and yielded only one run on the hill as the Indians breezed past the Pioneers, 12-1, in five innings.
On the game's second pitch, the leadoff man ignited a four-run first with an inside-the-park homer to right field. He capped a six-run fourth with a two-run shot to left that sailed high over the fence.
"For someone who only plays baseball three months out of the year, he's not too bad," joked C.R. North coach Matt Schram.
Seeking their first district crown since 2010, the No. 15-seeded Indians (14-7) will take on No. 11 Owen J. Roberts (17-6) in a semifinal at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Great Valley. The Wildcats downed No. 3 Pennsbury, 3-1, on Friday in Fairless Hills.
A star quarterback, McIlwain, who allowed five hits in as many innings, is considering enrolling at South Carolina in January.
"I'm going to be prepared to do that," he said. "I still have the entire summer and half of next school year to think about it and make a decision."
Against Conestoga, which captured its first outright Central League title since 2008, the Indians benefited from seven walks, four hit batsmen, and three errors.
"This was Council Rock North's day," Pioneers skipper John Vogan said. "They outplayed us in all facets of the game."
Designated hitter Seth Leuz (2 for 3, two RBIs) joined McIlwain (2 for 2, three runs, stolen base) in sparking a nine-hit attack. Third baseman and cleanup man J.R. Hicks walked three times and scored twice.
In a do-or-die playback game Tuesday, Conestoga (16-7) will visit Pennsbury (17-5). The winner will meet the West Chester Rustin-Boyertown survivor Thursday for the district's fifth and last berth in states.
Council Rock North 420 60 - 12 9 1
Conestoga 010 00 - 1 5 3
WP: Brandon McIlwain. LP: Mark Anderson. 2B: CRN-Cole German, Seth Leuz; C-Ryne Ogren. 3B: C-Anderson. HR: CRN-McIlwain 2.
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