ARGYLE - Argyle got key hits from sophomore Colton Ploessl and freshman Kyle Emberson in the sixth inning for a thrilling comeback 4-2 win over Pecatonica Tuesday.
Pecatonica (1-2, 0-2 Six Rivers East) led 2-0 going into the sixth. Ploessl singled and Pecatonica starting pitcher Lucas McKeon walked Argyle's Brock Bruehlman. That set the stages for Emberson who delivered an RBI single to cut the Kings' lead to 2-1. The Orioles (2-0) scored the game-tying and go-ahead runs on passed balls.
"We didn't finish," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "We left some guys on base. We just struggled a little bit with the mental game tonight. It wasn't where it should have been. Give Argyle credit. They got some runners on in the sixth inning and forced our hand a little bit."
Ploessl started at pitcher for the Orioles and went 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one. However, it was Argyle's Kyle Olson who pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief who got the win. Olson struck out four and walked four.
The Orioles were led by Bruehlman who went 2-for-3. Freshman Riley Ostby and Ploessl each were 2-for-4 for the Orioles.
McKeon pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out eight and walked three. Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem took the loss after pitching 1 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up two runs on two hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Pecatonica senior Jacob Scoville went 2-for-4 to lead the Vikings.
Watertown Luther Prep 15, New Glarus 0
WATERTOWN - The New Glarus baseball team kept their game with Luther Prep close for three and a half innings Tuesday night, but the game got away from the Glarner Knights in the fourth, as they gave up 11 runs on their way to a 15-0 loss.
"I was actually really happy the way we played the first two and a half innings," said New Glarus coach Ross Eddy. "We got a few guys back from spring break since the last time we played ... I thought we played well for the first time we played together as a group. We handled it pretty well the first three and a half innings."
Tyler Molencamp picked up the only two hits for the Glarner Knights, and was 2-for-2 at the plate.
New Glarus is now 0-3 on the year. Despite the early losses, Eddy said he is confident his team will turn it around.
"We're ready to get out there and just get out on our diamond. The stuff that we need to work on is definitely outside. They're anxious ... you can see they're a little bit nervous and excited," he said. "Hopefully we can start get into a rhythm and practice schedule and game schedules to the guys know what to expect. Once we get into a rhythm, I think we're going to be in good shape."
New Glarus is scheduled to travel to Wisconsin Heights on Saturday for a doubleheader.
Albany 16, Monticello 5
MONTICELLO - Albany overcame a rocky start and slugged its way to a 16-5 win over Monticello.
Monroe senior Bryce Klitzke hit a three-run home run in a four-run first inning to spark the Ponies.
"We just talked about staying ahead in the count," Albany coach Brandon Bakken said. "He ( Klitzke) slammed it over the fence. It was nice to see them not fold it up after the first and fight back."
The Ponies (0-2, 0-1 Six Rivers East) were plagued by walks. Two Monticello pitchers combined walked 16. Albany's Ethan Pfeuti went 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the Comets. With the win, Albany improves to (1-1). Albany's Aaron Thorpe drove in three runs and sophomore Joey McNaught and senior Tyler VanDusen each had two RBIs.
Klitzke pitched three innings and gave up 14 runs. He walked 13 and struck out one.
Pfeuti pitched five innings to get the win on the mound. He gave up five runs on five hits. He struck out 14 and walked five.
"After the first inning, I think he (Pfeuti) realized if he threw strikes he would be in good shape," Bakken said.
Darlington 13, Boscobel 1
BOSCOBEL - The Darlington baseball team kicked off their quest for a conference championship in resounding fashion, knocking off Boscobel, 13-1 in five innings.
Jason Singer threw all five innings for the Redbirds, surrendering just one hit and one unearned run. Singer did walk six Bulldogs, but he also fanned seven.
"He threw strikes and kept the ball low," Darlington coach Matt Austin said of Singer.
The Redbird offense scored at least one run in every inning. Darlington scored one run in the first and third innings, two runs in the fourth inning, four runs in the second inning, and five runs in the fifth inning. Eight Darlington batters recorded hits, and six of them had multiple hits. Cody Hardyman was the lone Redbird to collect three hits.
"We hit the ball well," Austin said. "We kept the ball in front of us on defense, and we pitched well. When you do those things you're going to have a good chance of winning."
Darlington is now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the SWAL. Austin said it was a good start for his team in conference play.
"We talk everyday about winning and competing for a conference title and we took the first step today," he said.
Barneveld 7, Black Hawk 1
BARNEVELD - Black Hawk hung with Barneveld for much of the night on Tuesday, but the Warriors weren't quite able to knock off the Eagles, as they fell 7-1 to their Six Rivers East rival.
Coltin Piefer drove in Cory Rupnow in the top of the fourth to give the Warriors their lone run. Piefer and Rupnow each recorded one hit, while senior Mike Powers collected the other two hits for the Black Hawk.
Merik Meythaler started on the mound for Black Hawk and went five innings, giving up four earned runs, while striking out seven. He was relieved by Rupnow, who gave up one earned run on two hits in one inning pitched.
Black Hawk coach Jeff Solberg said that, considering the opponent, the Warriors couldn't be too upset with the way they played.
"We competed with the number four (ranked) team in the state for six innings," Solberg said. "Couple of hops go our way, it's a different story. We can't be mad about our performance. We will continue to improve."
Pecatonica (1-2, 0-2 Six Rivers East) led 2-0 going into the sixth. Ploessl singled and Pecatonica starting pitcher Lucas McKeon walked Argyle's Brock Bruehlman. That set the stages for Emberson who delivered an RBI single to cut the Kings' lead to 2-1. The Orioles (2-0) scored the game-tying and go-ahead runs on passed balls.
"We didn't finish," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "We left some guys on base. We just struggled a little bit with the mental game tonight. It wasn't where it should have been. Give Argyle credit. They got some runners on in the sixth inning and forced our hand a little bit."
Ploessl started at pitcher for the Orioles and went 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on seven hits. He struck out three and walked one. However, it was Argyle's Kyle Olson who pitched 3 2/3 shutout innings in relief who got the win. Olson struck out four and walked four.
The Orioles were led by Bruehlman who went 2-for-3. Freshman Riley Ostby and Ploessl each were 2-for-4 for the Orioles.
McKeon pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He struck out eight and walked three. Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem took the loss after pitching 1 2/3 innings in relief. He gave up two runs on two hits. He struck out four and walked two.
Pecatonica senior Jacob Scoville went 2-for-4 to lead the Vikings.
Watertown Luther Prep 15, New Glarus 0
WATERTOWN - The New Glarus baseball team kept their game with Luther Prep close for three and a half innings Tuesday night, but the game got away from the Glarner Knights in the fourth, as they gave up 11 runs on their way to a 15-0 loss.
"I was actually really happy the way we played the first two and a half innings," said New Glarus coach Ross Eddy. "We got a few guys back from spring break since the last time we played ... I thought we played well for the first time we played together as a group. We handled it pretty well the first three and a half innings."
Tyler Molencamp picked up the only two hits for the Glarner Knights, and was 2-for-2 at the plate.
New Glarus is now 0-3 on the year. Despite the early losses, Eddy said he is confident his team will turn it around.
"We're ready to get out there and just get out on our diamond. The stuff that we need to work on is definitely outside. They're anxious ... you can see they're a little bit nervous and excited," he said. "Hopefully we can start get into a rhythm and practice schedule and game schedules to the guys know what to expect. Once we get into a rhythm, I think we're going to be in good shape."
New Glarus is scheduled to travel to Wisconsin Heights on Saturday for a doubleheader.
Albany 16, Monticello 5
MONTICELLO - Albany overcame a rocky start and slugged its way to a 16-5 win over Monticello.
Monroe senior Bryce Klitzke hit a three-run home run in a four-run first inning to spark the Ponies.
"We just talked about staying ahead in the count," Albany coach Brandon Bakken said. "He ( Klitzke) slammed it over the fence. It was nice to see them not fold it up after the first and fight back."
The Ponies (0-2, 0-1 Six Rivers East) were plagued by walks. Two Monticello pitchers combined walked 16. Albany's Ethan Pfeuti went 2-for-2 with two RBIs to lead the Comets. With the win, Albany improves to (1-1). Albany's Aaron Thorpe drove in three runs and sophomore Joey McNaught and senior Tyler VanDusen each had two RBIs.
Klitzke pitched three innings and gave up 14 runs. He walked 13 and struck out one.
Pfeuti pitched five innings to get the win on the mound. He gave up five runs on five hits. He struck out 14 and walked five.
"After the first inning, I think he (Pfeuti) realized if he threw strikes he would be in good shape," Bakken said.
Darlington 13, Boscobel 1
BOSCOBEL - The Darlington baseball team kicked off their quest for a conference championship in resounding fashion, knocking off Boscobel, 13-1 in five innings.
Jason Singer threw all five innings for the Redbirds, surrendering just one hit and one unearned run. Singer did walk six Bulldogs, but he also fanned seven.
"He threw strikes and kept the ball low," Darlington coach Matt Austin said of Singer.
The Redbird offense scored at least one run in every inning. Darlington scored one run in the first and third innings, two runs in the fourth inning, four runs in the second inning, and five runs in the fifth inning. Eight Darlington batters recorded hits, and six of them had multiple hits. Cody Hardyman was the lone Redbird to collect three hits.
"We hit the ball well," Austin said. "We kept the ball in front of us on defense, and we pitched well. When you do those things you're going to have a good chance of winning."
Darlington is now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in the SWAL. Austin said it was a good start for his team in conference play.
"We talk everyday about winning and competing for a conference title and we took the first step today," he said.
Barneveld 7, Black Hawk 1
BARNEVELD - Black Hawk hung with Barneveld for much of the night on Tuesday, but the Warriors weren't quite able to knock off the Eagles, as they fell 7-1 to their Six Rivers East rival.
Coltin Piefer drove in Cory Rupnow in the top of the fourth to give the Warriors their lone run. Piefer and Rupnow each recorded one hit, while senior Mike Powers collected the other two hits for the Black Hawk.
Merik Meythaler started on the mound for Black Hawk and went five innings, giving up four earned runs, while striking out seven. He was relieved by Rupnow, who gave up one earned run on two hits in one inning pitched.
Black Hawk coach Jeff Solberg said that, considering the opponent, the Warriors couldn't be too upset with the way they played.
"We competed with the number four (ranked) team in the state for six innings," Solberg said. "Couple of hops go our way, it's a different story. We can't be mad about our performance. We will continue to improve."
