DARLINGTON - Junior Tyler Hardyman hit a two-run homer and Tanner Havens drove in three runs to lift the No. 3 seeded Darlington Redbirds to an 11-3 win over the No. 6 seeded Belleville Wildcats in a WIAA Division 3 regional quarterfinal Thursday.
The Redbirds scored two runs in the first inning off Belleville's Jerad Rear, then added three more in the third highlighted by Hardyman's two-run blast.
The Wildcats picked up momentum with a three-run fourth, but the Redbirds turned it around in the bottom of the fourth. After two were out, Darlington got base hits from Hardyman, junior Wade Black, and junior Colton Hackett to load the bases. Havens delivered a two-run single to give the Redbirds a 7-3 lead.
"If we don't score again when it was 5-3, they (Belleville) come up to bat and they're right back in the game," said Darlington head coach Andy Sawall. "By scoring those two runs, we were able to maintain control."
Senior Matt Keister started and pitched three innings, giving up three runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out five. Senior Ronnie Rush came on in relief and pitched four shutout innings with just three hits, a walk and two strikeouts.
Darlington improves to 13-8 and will travel to No. 2 seed Wisconsin Heights Tuesday in the Division 3 regional semifinal.
New Glarus 7, Cuba City 6
NEW GLARUS - Trailing 6-3 and down to their last at bat, the fourth-seeded Glarner Knights rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a thrilling 7-6 win over the fifth-seeded Cuba City Cubans, Thursday, and advance to the Division 3 regional semifinal.
The game was tied 3-3 heading into the seventh inning. The Cubans (8-15) scored three runs to take a 6-3 lead before the Glarner Knights rallied to make a winner out of senior pitcher Nick Stuessy, who went the distance with four walks and six strikouts.
Senior Brendan Pittman went 4-for-5 while senior Ryan Bright, junior Kirbe French, and junior Carlin Moen each went 2-for-3 for the Knights.
New Glarus (8-14) will meet top-seeded Orfordville Parkview in the next round of the regionals Tuesday.
The Redbirds scored two runs in the first inning off Belleville's Jerad Rear, then added three more in the third highlighted by Hardyman's two-run blast.
The Wildcats picked up momentum with a three-run fourth, but the Redbirds turned it around in the bottom of the fourth. After two were out, Darlington got base hits from Hardyman, junior Wade Black, and junior Colton Hackett to load the bases. Havens delivered a two-run single to give the Redbirds a 7-3 lead.
"If we don't score again when it was 5-3, they (Belleville) come up to bat and they're right back in the game," said Darlington head coach Andy Sawall. "By scoring those two runs, we were able to maintain control."
Senior Matt Keister started and pitched three innings, giving up three runs on three hits. He walked two and struck out five. Senior Ronnie Rush came on in relief and pitched four shutout innings with just three hits, a walk and two strikeouts.
Darlington improves to 13-8 and will travel to No. 2 seed Wisconsin Heights Tuesday in the Division 3 regional semifinal.
New Glarus 7, Cuba City 6
NEW GLARUS - Trailing 6-3 and down to their last at bat, the fourth-seeded Glarner Knights rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a thrilling 7-6 win over the fifth-seeded Cuba City Cubans, Thursday, and advance to the Division 3 regional semifinal.
The game was tied 3-3 heading into the seventh inning. The Cubans (8-15) scored three runs to take a 6-3 lead before the Glarner Knights rallied to make a winner out of senior pitcher Nick Stuessy, who went the distance with four walks and six strikouts.
Senior Brendan Pittman went 4-for-5 while senior Ryan Bright, junior Kirbe French, and junior Carlin Moen each went 2-for-3 for the Knights.
New Glarus (8-14) will meet top-seeded Orfordville Parkview in the next round of the regionals Tuesday.
