NEW GLARUS - The Glarner Knights are just happy to still be on the proverbial island that is the WIAA baseball regionals.
Third-seeded New Glarus played the role of survivor to perfection Friday evening in a 14-12 Division 3 regional quarterfinal victory over Sugar River rival and third seed Belleville.
It also wrapped up a season sweep of their Capitol South neighbors, although that may have been an afterthought.
"Just very happy to have survived," New Glarus coach Warren Howard said.
The Wildcats finally caught up with New Glarus starter Zach Ketelboeter when they chased him during a 5-run sixth inning that cut the Knights 12-6 lead to a single run.
Sophomore Ryan Bright went a cool 3-for-3 for New Glarus, which had five players with multiple hits and now faces second-seeded Cuba City Tuesday in the semifinals.
DIVISION 2
NO. 3 CLINTON 4, NO. 6 BRODHEAD 3
For a brief, beautiful moment in the eyes of Cardinal fans, their ace was on the right side of the hook.
Senior Adam Scheidegger was staked to a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning against the Cougars, but the Rock Valley rival struck for two runs with one down in the bottom half.
In pulling out the gritty win, Clinton advances to the semifinals. where Beloit Turner awaits.
DIVISION 4
NO. 6 ALBANY 6, NO. 1 FAITH CHRISTIAN 1
The Comets took a mulligan Friday evening.
After committing all three of its errors in the first inning, Albany settled in nicely behind starter Tyler Bauman.
"Then we decided to play ball," Albany coach Brian Dahl said.
With Faith Christian still nursing a 1-0 lead in the fifth, Mike Elmer drove in the first of his three RBI in a 3-run inning. In the top of the seventh, he helped pad the lead by stroking his first homer to dead left and into a stiff wind.
Albany was aggressive on the basepaths and Bauman went the distance, fanning nine and walking four. The Comets travel to Juda for a regional semifinal after splitting the regular-season series with the Six Rivers East rival.
NO. 5 ARGYLE 9, NO. 4 SOUTHWESTERN 3
The fundies arrived at the right time for the Orioles.
While Argyle committed four errors in Friday's upset victory over the Wildcats, the Orioles were downright resilient with southpaw Andy Bohlman on the hill.
"This season our errors have killed us, but tonight we played very well defensively and overcame the few mistakes we made," Argyle coach Sean Leary said.
Bohlman went all seven, fanning seven and walking three. He also reached on an error to key a 4-run fifth that broke up a 2-2 tie.
NO. 4 MONTICELLO 11, NO. 5 WILLIAMS BAY 0 (5 INNINGS)
The Ponies battery surged Friday evening.
Senior ace Dusty Ritschard went the distance in an abbreviated complete-game shutout sets up a 1-4 matchup with top seed Burlington Catholic Central (8-10) Tuesday.
"Dusty's been our ace all year and is always in there for the big games," Monticello coach Jason Pinnow said. "He pitched the best I've seen from him in three years."
Ritschard fanned four and walked none while scattering three hits. His catcher and fellow senior, Andy Pusel, went 3-for4 with 5 RBI. He was just a triple short of the cycle despite playing with damaged tendons in his thumb. He even gunned down a rare baserunner at second.
"He played like he wasn't even hurt," Pinnow said.
Perhaps not interested in testing the thumb, Pusel hit his 2-run homer in walkoff fashion with two down in the fifth.
Third-seeded New Glarus played the role of survivor to perfection Friday evening in a 14-12 Division 3 regional quarterfinal victory over Sugar River rival and third seed Belleville.
It also wrapped up a season sweep of their Capitol South neighbors, although that may have been an afterthought.
"Just very happy to have survived," New Glarus coach Warren Howard said.
The Wildcats finally caught up with New Glarus starter Zach Ketelboeter when they chased him during a 5-run sixth inning that cut the Knights 12-6 lead to a single run.
Sophomore Ryan Bright went a cool 3-for-3 for New Glarus, which had five players with multiple hits and now faces second-seeded Cuba City Tuesday in the semifinals.
DIVISION 2
NO. 3 CLINTON 4, NO. 6 BRODHEAD 3
For a brief, beautiful moment in the eyes of Cardinal fans, their ace was on the right side of the hook.
Senior Adam Scheidegger was staked to a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning against the Cougars, but the Rock Valley rival struck for two runs with one down in the bottom half.
In pulling out the gritty win, Clinton advances to the semifinals. where Beloit Turner awaits.
DIVISION 4
NO. 6 ALBANY 6, NO. 1 FAITH CHRISTIAN 1
The Comets took a mulligan Friday evening.
After committing all three of its errors in the first inning, Albany settled in nicely behind starter Tyler Bauman.
"Then we decided to play ball," Albany coach Brian Dahl said.
With Faith Christian still nursing a 1-0 lead in the fifth, Mike Elmer drove in the first of his three RBI in a 3-run inning. In the top of the seventh, he helped pad the lead by stroking his first homer to dead left and into a stiff wind.
Albany was aggressive on the basepaths and Bauman went the distance, fanning nine and walking four. The Comets travel to Juda for a regional semifinal after splitting the regular-season series with the Six Rivers East rival.
NO. 5 ARGYLE 9, NO. 4 SOUTHWESTERN 3
The fundies arrived at the right time for the Orioles.
While Argyle committed four errors in Friday's upset victory over the Wildcats, the Orioles were downright resilient with southpaw Andy Bohlman on the hill.
"This season our errors have killed us, but tonight we played very well defensively and overcame the few mistakes we made," Argyle coach Sean Leary said.
Bohlman went all seven, fanning seven and walking three. He also reached on an error to key a 4-run fifth that broke up a 2-2 tie.
NO. 4 MONTICELLO 11, NO. 5 WILLIAMS BAY 0 (5 INNINGS)
The Ponies battery surged Friday evening.
Senior ace Dusty Ritschard went the distance in an abbreviated complete-game shutout sets up a 1-4 matchup with top seed Burlington Catholic Central (8-10) Tuesday.
"Dusty's been our ace all year and is always in there for the big games," Monticello coach Jason Pinnow said. "He pitched the best I've seen from him in three years."
Ritschard fanned four and walked none while scattering three hits. His catcher and fellow senior, Andy Pusel, went 3-for4 with 5 RBI. He was just a triple short of the cycle despite playing with damaged tendons in his thumb. He even gunned down a rare baserunner at second.
"He played like he wasn't even hurt," Pinnow said.
Perhaps not interested in testing the thumb, Pusel hit his 2-run homer in walkoff fashion with two down in the fifth.
