WIOTA — Blanchardville had a full lineup of seasoned veterans make the trip to Wiota for a Home Talent game July 12. The host Indians did not have a full lineup.
The Bullets put on a hitting display and soundly defeated Wiota 25-1.
Colton Schraepfer had three hits and reached base all six times for Blanchardville. Kyle Kleppe reached base five times, Cole Breuer and Jared Carney four times and Carter Ruegsegger thrice. Will Schwartz had two hits for Wiota, while Cade Janecke reached twice on hit by pitches. Jesse Sturtz also reached safely twice with a hit and a walk.
Wiota finished with four hits but 11 strikeouts. The Indians made five errors in the field.
Blanchardville pounded out 20 hits to just five strikeouts and committed just one defensive error.
The Bullets scored three runs in the first, and three more in the second. In the third, Blanchardville made it 8-0. A 4-run fourth inning made it a 12-0 ball game, with hometown Wiota able to crack the egg in the home half of the frame for its lone run.
Blanchardville then dove into its deep bench and tacked on three more runs in the fifth inning, followed by a 7-run explosion in the sixth inning, making it 22-1. In the top of the seventh, Blanchardville added three more runs.
While the league is not holding an official season this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams are still able to play exhibition games. For players like Payton Sawdey and Barry Schliem, it means a little bit more. Both were high school graduates this past school year and lost their senior prep season when the WIAA canceled spring sports.
“It feels great (to play) after not being able to play in the spring at all,” said Sawdey of Monroe.
Sawdey courtesy ran early in the game, and entered the game officially in the fifth inning. He promptly threw out a runner at home from left field.
“Getting to play some baseball when I didn’t get to for a long time, it feels great,” said Sawdey, who added that he plans on continuing to play ball each summer “for quite a while.”
Schliem, of Darlington, was in the lineup from the start. Wiota was playing without reserves and without some of its normal top players, including its staff pitching ace.
“You can definitely tell out here” that spring baseball was missed, Schliem said. “With our pitching, you don’t have the same bullpen. But at least we get to play baseball. That’s the big thing.”
Sawdey joined the Bullets after spending the last two summers playing for the Blanchardville Babe Ruth teenage team.
“Monroe doesn’t have a summer league team, so that’s kind of how I got into it,” said Sawdey, who will attend UW-Whitewater in the fall and plans to study business.
Schliem plans to attend UW-Platteville and major in education, and intends to cherish his time on the diamond this summer.
“It sucks missing my senior season and all of that; and with my dad coaching, that’s a big part of it,” Schliem said. “It makes a huge difference on this (Home Talent) season.”
