DARLINGTON - Senior Brayden McDonald went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI to lead the Darlington baseball team to a 10-5 win over New Glarus in a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal game Tuesday.
Darlington (15-7) scored three runs in the second and three runs in the third innings to take a commanding 8-2 lead. McDonald hit a three-run homer to right center in the third. Darlington senior Ryan Glendenning went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
"I thought we put some good swings on the ball," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said. "The guys worked to get ahead in the count and we got some hits in hitter's counts."
With the win, the Redbirds advance to a regional championship game where they will host Benton-Shullsburg at 5 p.m. today.
Darlington senior Jesse Sturtz pitched 5 1/3 innings to get the win. He gave up one earned run on four hits. Sturtz struck out 12 and walked two.
Senior Chad Golackson tossed 1 2/3 innings in relief and gave up three earned runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked none.
New Glarus was led by Andrew Nimtz who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Teammate Dalton Way went 2-for-3.
Jared Carney started and pitched three innings for the Glarner Knights. He gave up six earned runs on six hits. Carney struck out three and walked four. Junior Noah Zimmerman pitched three innings in relief and gave up one earned run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Darlington now is gearing up for a regional final against Shullsburg-Benton.
"They are an outstanding team," Solberg said of Shullsburg-Benton. "We will have our hands full."
Pecatonica 4, Southwestern 0
BLANCHARDVILLE - Senior A.J. Hendrickson and junior Evan Prust combined to toss a four-hit shutout to lead top-seeded Pecatonica to a win over Southwestern in a WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal game on Tuesday.
Hendrickson pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and gave up just three hits to get the win. He struck out 10, walked three and hit two.
"We needed that from him (Hendrickson) come tournament time," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "It was good pitching on our part."
With the win, Pecatonica (20-1), ranked No. 1 in the Division 4 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches state poll, advances to a regional final where they will host Barneveld at 5 p.m. today.
The Vikings turned a double play in the first inning, picked a runner off and senior Logan Green made a running catch on a pop up to right field.
"We made some nice defensive plays behind A.J." Strommen said. That is what it takes - pitching and defense."
Prust went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Senior Cory Linder had two RBI Linder had an RBI triple in the fifth. When Southwestern mishandled the relay throw, Strommen sent Linder home and he also scored on the play to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
In other regional semifinal games, second-seeded Brodhead-Juda rolled to a 14-1 win over sixth-seeded Big Foot in Division 2. Barneveld defeated Argyle 15-5 in five innings in Division 4. With the win, Brodhead-Juda will play at top-seeded Beloit Turner at 4:45 p.m. today.
Darlington (15-7) scored three runs in the second and three runs in the third innings to take a commanding 8-2 lead. McDonald hit a three-run homer to right center in the third. Darlington senior Ryan Glendenning went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
"I thought we put some good swings on the ball," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said. "The guys worked to get ahead in the count and we got some hits in hitter's counts."
With the win, the Redbirds advance to a regional championship game where they will host Benton-Shullsburg at 5 p.m. today.
Darlington senior Jesse Sturtz pitched 5 1/3 innings to get the win. He gave up one earned run on four hits. Sturtz struck out 12 and walked two.
Senior Chad Golackson tossed 1 2/3 innings in relief and gave up three earned runs on four hits. He struck out two and walked none.
New Glarus was led by Andrew Nimtz who went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Teammate Dalton Way went 2-for-3.
Jared Carney started and pitched three innings for the Glarner Knights. He gave up six earned runs on six hits. Carney struck out three and walked four. Junior Noah Zimmerman pitched three innings in relief and gave up one earned run on four hits. He struck out four and walked one.
Darlington now is gearing up for a regional final against Shullsburg-Benton.
"They are an outstanding team," Solberg said of Shullsburg-Benton. "We will have our hands full."
Pecatonica 4, Southwestern 0
BLANCHARDVILLE - Senior A.J. Hendrickson and junior Evan Prust combined to toss a four-hit shutout to lead top-seeded Pecatonica to a win over Southwestern in a WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal game on Tuesday.
Hendrickson pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and gave up just three hits to get the win. He struck out 10, walked three and hit two.
"We needed that from him (Hendrickson) come tournament time," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "It was good pitching on our part."
With the win, Pecatonica (20-1), ranked No. 1 in the Division 4 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches state poll, advances to a regional final where they will host Barneveld at 5 p.m. today.
The Vikings turned a double play in the first inning, picked a runner off and senior Logan Green made a running catch on a pop up to right field.
"We made some nice defensive plays behind A.J." Strommen said. That is what it takes - pitching and defense."
Prust went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Senior Cory Linder had two RBI Linder had an RBI triple in the fifth. When Southwestern mishandled the relay throw, Strommen sent Linder home and he also scored on the play to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
In other regional semifinal games, second-seeded Brodhead-Juda rolled to a 14-1 win over sixth-seeded Big Foot in Division 2. Barneveld defeated Argyle 15-5 in five innings in Division 4. With the win, Brodhead-Juda will play at top-seeded Beloit Turner at 4:45 p.m. today.
