Wildcats earn spot in Class 2 semifinals

MEMPHIS - Having more than redeemed themselves after an 0-6 start to the season, the New Bloomfield Wildcats will now get the chance to add to their rich baseball legacy.

New Bloomfield - which owns the most baseball titles in state history with seven - are headed to the Class 2 state semifinals after a convincing 7-1 quarterfinal victory over ninth-ranked Scotland County on Wednesday night.

The Wildcats (16-9), winners of five in a row and 16 of their last 19 games, are returning to the final four for the first time since capturing their first-ever Class 2 state championship in 2011. New Bloomfield will square off against Norwood (19-8) - which edged Marionville in a 4-2 quarterfinal win - in the semifinals at 7 p.m. next Wednesday at T.R. Hughes Ballpark in O'Fallon.

In the first Class 2 semifinal at 4:30 p.m., Valle Catholic (28-5) tangles with West Platte (19-5). Valle Catholic clipped Bernie 3-2 in the quarterfinals, while West Platte blanked Miller 8-0.

New Bloomfield's first six state titles - all won under the direction of the late Rod Haley - came in what was then Class 1A, the first occurring in 1986. The Wildcats followed with their second championship in 1989, three straight from 1991-93, and the other in 1996.

Details from New Bloomfield's quarterfinal victory Wednesday night were not available at press time. See Friday's edition for a complete follow-up.