BRODHEAD — The self-dubbed Cardiac Cardinals lived up to their nickname, winning two of their last three conference games to clinch the Rock Valley-Rock title. Brodhead-Juda and Turner were co-champions with 7-3 records strictly in the Rock Division.
BRODHEAD-JUDA 7, TURNER 6
BRODHEAD — Pinch hitter Brooks Malkow had arguably the largest at bat of his career against Turner, hitting a walk-off RBI single to left that kept Brodhead-Juda’s conference championship hopes alive on May 16. Had the Cardinals lost, the Trojans would have earned an outright conference championship.
The 7-6 win was bitter sweet, as Turner had walked off Brodhead-Juda with a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the eighth just two days prior.
Max Pinnow led the way, going 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Kohen Sawle played a key role, going 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and one RBI. Gabe Bockhop and David Masloske also walked twice.
Sawle picked up the win, giving up just two hits in one inning and striking out two. Sam Searls got the start, giving up two runs on three hits. He struck out eight and walked four.
CLINTON 6, BRODHEAD-JUDA 4;
BRODHEAD-JUDA 10, CLINTON 8
CLINTON — The Cardinals needed to win at least one game against the Cougars to clinch a share of the Rock Valley-Rock Conference, and it came down to the wire in a doubleheader split on May 18.
Clinton won the opener despite three errors in the field. The Cougars were able to rally late, scoring all six runs in the final four innings.
Ryan Searls was the spark in Game 1, going 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and two runs scored. Gabe Bockhop also recorded a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a double and one run scored.
Clayton Elliott suffered the loss, giving up two runs on four hits in one inning of work. He struck out one. Evan Senobe got the start, giving up four runs on three hits. He struck out seven and walked four.
In the nightcap, Clinton rallied again for three runs in the bottom of the seventh, knotting the game at seven. Elliott escaped the jam by striking out the final batter. In the top of the eighth, the Cardinal bats came alive for three runs. Elliott gave up one unearned run in the bottom of the frame but struck out two to get the win and clinch a conference title.
Senobe and Elliott went a combined 4-for-9 with a triple, homerun, three RBIs and four runs scored. Bockhop didn’t tally a hit, but he reached base twice via walk.
Elliott pitched in relief again, getting the win. He struck out three in 1 1/3 innings’ work. Kohen Sawle started on the bump, giving up five runs on 10 hits. He struck out six and walked one.
NEW GLARUS 7, WATERLOO 6
WATERLOO — The Glarner Knights gave up six unearned runs in a Capitol South game May 16, but the Pirates committed two more errors that led to their downfall May 16.
Landon Stelter had the hot bat, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI and two runs scored. Ashlin Mihlbauer also recorded a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a walk. Leyton Mihlbauer picked up the win, giving up six unearned runs on nine hits.
NEW GLARUS 6, JOHNSON CREEK 5
JOHNSON CREEK — The Glarner Knights handed the No. 1 team in Division 4 just its second loss of the season in a conconference game May 18. The Bluejays committed seven errors which led to five unearned runs.
Leadoff hitter Nolan Julseth accounted for half of New Glarus’ hits and RBIs, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Matt Roth reached base three times via walk. Julseth also picked up the win, giving up five runs on nine hits. He struck out four and walked one. Jake Roth recorded the save, throwing two innings of no-hit ball.
BOSCOBEL 9, ARGYLE-BLACK HAWK 6
ARGYLE — Max Godfrey struck out 10 of 13 batters faced, but the Bulldogs attacked the bullpen in a nonconference game May 16.
Ike Waage had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park homerun to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the first. Jackson Berget, Will Helfvogt and Godfrey also recorded multiple-hit games.
Mitchell Johnsen suffered the loss, giving up three runs on one hit in 1 2/3 innings’ work. Godfrey got the start, going 3 1/3 innings. He struck out 10 and walked two.
In other local baseball, Pecatonica split a ranked doubleheader with Cambridge, winning 4-2 and losing 9-2. The Vikings were ranked No. 7 in Division 4, per the May 13 WisSports.net Coaches Poll, and the Bluejays were ranked No. 16 in Division 3.
