NEW GLARUS — One early bad inning can doom almost any team into a loss. Likewise, one early big inning can boost almost any team to a win.

The second inning of the nonconference clash between Brodhead-Juda and New Glarus was one of those innings. The Cardinals scored nine runs en route to a 12-0, five-inning victory over the host Knights April 15.

“Any time you can get up on a team early it certainly plays to your advantage,” Brodhead-Juda coach Aaron Guilbault said. “It makes pitching a little bit easier — you don’t have to be so fine in hitting your corners. You just sit back and pitch.”

New Glarus used three pitchers in the frame, walking five hitters, allowing four singles, a double and defensively made two early errors that set up the big inning. All nine runs were unearned.

“Lots of balls, we couldn’t find the strike zone — we gave them extra outs and that was the difference in the game,” New Glarus assistant coach Warren Howard said. “We’re a very young team and we’re hoping to grow from that.”

After Jake Miller led off the inning by reaching on an error, Knights starting pitcher Ben Melvin walked Marco Bueno on five pitches. Payton Johnson then singled to center, and Quinton Kammerer followed that by reaching on a bunt that was fumbled by relief pitcher Holden Latsch. 

The first out of the frame came on a fielder’s choice when Bueno was gunned down at home on a force out. Cody Malcook then struck out looking for the second out. The backbreaker for New Glarus was the very next pitch, when Conner Green cleared the bases with a 3-RBI double to right. 

“Conner Green is putting things together, Marco Bueno has had a big week and a big year so far, and we hope he keeps making that progression,” Guilbault said.

Cade Walker then walked and Andrew Brockwell singled home a runner on a grounder to shortstop that Brockwell beat out the throw. Miller and Bueno followed with back-to-back walks, and Johnson hit another single to center, plating two runners.

Brennan Butler, the Knights’ second reliever of the inning, balked two runners up a base and then allowed a single to Kammerer and a walk to Quinton Harris before finally striking out Malcook to end the inning.

Brodhead-Juda scored three more runs in the third inning.

“This was a fairly big game for us. These guys are in our regional, so this potentially could factor at the end of the year,” Guilbault said.

Quinton Kammerer got the win on the mound for the Cardinals, allowing just three hits while striking out three on just 32 pitches through four innings. Gavin Kammerer pitched a scoreless fifth.

“We’ve been playing some pretty good baseball most of the season, but our record (3-7) wouldn’t indicate it — three 1-run games and two 2-run games,” Guilbault said. “We’ve been two of the three sides of the game together, and I think today we put together a full game. We pitched well, we played defense and our offense was disciplined — we had good quality at bats and didn’t try to do too much.”

The four Knights pitchers allowed nine hits and nine walks with six strikeouts. Zimmerman pitched two scoreless innings to end the game.

Green, Johnson and Quinton Kammerer were each 2 for 4 with two RBIs for Brodhead-Juda, while Bueno was 1 for 1 with three walks. Melvin had two hits for New Glarus, including a booming double in the bottom of the fourth.

“Give Brodhead credit — they did everything better than us tonight,” Howard said.

Turner 8, Brodhead 1

BRODHEAD — Walker allowed seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings. Four of the six runs against him were earned in the April 16 loss to Beloit Turner.

Bueno hit a double and scored a run on a single by Johnson in the bottom of the seventh.

Preston Viens pitched 6.2 innings for Turner, throwing an efficient 70 pitches and allowing two hits and no runs with six strikeouts. Reliever Kenny Draeving allowed three hits and a run in 1/3 of an inning.

The Cardinals committed four errors.

Cambridge 7, New Glarus 3

NEW GLARUS — The Knights committed seven errors in their April 16 conference loss to the Blue Jays.

Cooper Dreyfus was 3 for 4 with two runs and two steals in the leadoff spot for New Glarus, while Darris Schuett had a pair of hits and a run. Connor Siegenthaler drove in two runs.

Peyton Mendleski took the loss on the mound, allowing six runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk in 3.2 innings. Melvin threw the final 3.1 innings, allowing one unearned run on three hits.