BARNEVELD - The Pecatonica baseball team's 10-6 loss to Oakfield in a WIAA Division 4 sectional championship game on Tuesday may sting for a long time.
Pecatonica jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game played in Barneveld. The Vikings looked to be cruising with ace senior pitcher A.J. Hendrickson on the mound. The Oaks made an improbable comeback, scoring six runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at 6. The Oaks scored 10 unanswered runs to stun Pecatonica, the state's No. 1 ranked team in Division 4. Pecatonica had an uncharacteristic six errors and three pitchers combined walked six. Only two of the 10 runs the Oaks scored were earned.
"We just gave them too many free bases," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "That will not win you many games. We had played so well defensively up to that point. They are too good of a team and you can't give them second opportunities and when we did they took advantage of that. It's disappointing to end our season like that."
The Vikings had three errors and two walks in the fifth.
"The worse-case scenario in the fifth inning is they score two runs," Strommen said.
The Oaks put the game away with a four-run sixth. Oakfield junior Ethan Tapp had a bloop three-run triple to right in the sixth to give the Oaks a 9-6 lead. Oakfield sophomore Jacob Cedar then followed with an RBI single.
Early on, it was the Vikings who were dominant and in a position to punch their ticket to state.
Pecatonica sophomore Carter Ruegsegger walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Dakota Conwell singled and senior Logan Green had an RBI single to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Junior Evan Prust's sacrifice fly scored Conwell to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Pecatonica senior Cory Linder extended the lead with an RBI single in the third to score senior Presly Hauser to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
The Vikings had a three-run third to break open the game. Conwell had a double and Green reached on an error. Prust had a clutch RBI single.
Both Hendrickson and Conwell went 2-for-4 to lead the Vikings at the plate.
Hendrickson started and pitched 42⁄3 innings and gave up six runs, but just two earned runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked three.
Prust came in and pitched2⁄3 of an inning and didn't give up a run. Senior Jake Dearth pitched2⁄3 of an inning and took the loss giving up four unearned runs.
In the sectional semifinal game, Ruegsegger tossed a complete game against Johnson Creek to lead the Vikings to a 6-1 win. He gave up just one run on two hits. Ruegsegger struck out four, walked two and hit one. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third by starting a double play with a throw to home after fielding a comebacker.
"That was a big momentum switch," Strommen said.
Ruegsegger got into a groove and retired the next eight batters he faced.
"Carter was really good for us today and we did just enough on offense," Strommen said.
The Vikings scored four runs in the second. Ruegsegger reached on an error and Cory Swenson as a courtesy runner stole second. Dearth then followed with an RBI single. Conwell singled and Green singled. Prust then reached on an error and two runs scored. Hauser laid down a squeeze bunt to knock in a run to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead. It was all the run support Ruegsegger needed.
Dearth went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
"They have a lot to be proud about," Strommen said. "We won the conference for the third year in a row and the regional for the second straight year."
Wisconsin Heights 8, Darlington 1
WHITEHALL - Wisconsin Heights used a five-run third inning to roll to the win over Darlington in a WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal game on Tuesday.
Darlington's Nathan Andrae delivered an RBI single on an 0-2 count in the second inning to tie the game at 1.
Wisconsin Heights' Riley Howard had a three-run triple off Darlington senior pitcher Jesse Sturtz in the third. The other clutch hits in the inning came on Tyler Flamme's RBI single and Peyton Flamme's RBI double. Sturtz pitched 51⁄3 innings and gave up six runs on six hits. He struck out four.
"Jesse left the ball over the plate more than he usually does and they (Wisconsin Heights) were able take advantage of that," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said.
The Redbirds (16-7) were limited to just four hits. Wisconsin Heights' Tylan Parman earned the win going five innings and giving up just one run. He struck out two and walked two. Tyler Flamme went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Vanguards at the plate.
"I'm just proud of them. They were a joy to coach. I hope people were paying attention and our young players were learning from this experience. They have the potential to take it a step further."
With 12 seniors, the Redbirds will have a lot of starters and roles to replace next year.
"It will be tough to replace them," Solberg said of the 12 seniors. "We have a bunch of juniors who have been waiting to play for two years. I'm looking forward to them stepping up and getting their opportunity."
Pecatonica jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the game played in Barneveld. The Vikings looked to be cruising with ace senior pitcher A.J. Hendrickson on the mound. The Oaks made an improbable comeback, scoring six runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at 6. The Oaks scored 10 unanswered runs to stun Pecatonica, the state's No. 1 ranked team in Division 4. Pecatonica had an uncharacteristic six errors and three pitchers combined walked six. Only two of the 10 runs the Oaks scored were earned.
"We just gave them too many free bases," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said. "That will not win you many games. We had played so well defensively up to that point. They are too good of a team and you can't give them second opportunities and when we did they took advantage of that. It's disappointing to end our season like that."
The Vikings had three errors and two walks in the fifth.
"The worse-case scenario in the fifth inning is they score two runs," Strommen said.
The Oaks put the game away with a four-run sixth. Oakfield junior Ethan Tapp had a bloop three-run triple to right in the sixth to give the Oaks a 9-6 lead. Oakfield sophomore Jacob Cedar then followed with an RBI single.
Early on, it was the Vikings who were dominant and in a position to punch their ticket to state.
Pecatonica sophomore Carter Ruegsegger walked and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior Dakota Conwell singled and senior Logan Green had an RBI single to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Junior Evan Prust's sacrifice fly scored Conwell to give the Vikings a 2-0 lead.
Pecatonica senior Cory Linder extended the lead with an RBI single in the third to score senior Presly Hauser to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead.
The Vikings had a three-run third to break open the game. Conwell had a double and Green reached on an error. Prust had a clutch RBI single.
Both Hendrickson and Conwell went 2-for-4 to lead the Vikings at the plate.
Hendrickson started and pitched 42⁄3 innings and gave up six runs, but just two earned runs on three hits. He struck out four and walked three.
Prust came in and pitched2⁄3 of an inning and didn't give up a run. Senior Jake Dearth pitched2⁄3 of an inning and took the loss giving up four unearned runs.
In the sectional semifinal game, Ruegsegger tossed a complete game against Johnson Creek to lead the Vikings to a 6-1 win. He gave up just one run on two hits. Ruegsegger struck out four, walked two and hit one. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the third by starting a double play with a throw to home after fielding a comebacker.
"That was a big momentum switch," Strommen said.
Ruegsegger got into a groove and retired the next eight batters he faced.
"Carter was really good for us today and we did just enough on offense," Strommen said.
The Vikings scored four runs in the second. Ruegsegger reached on an error and Cory Swenson as a courtesy runner stole second. Dearth then followed with an RBI single. Conwell singled and Green singled. Prust then reached on an error and two runs scored. Hauser laid down a squeeze bunt to knock in a run to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead. It was all the run support Ruegsegger needed.
Dearth went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
"They have a lot to be proud about," Strommen said. "We won the conference for the third year in a row and the regional for the second straight year."
Wisconsin Heights 8, Darlington 1
WHITEHALL - Wisconsin Heights used a five-run third inning to roll to the win over Darlington in a WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal game on Tuesday.
Darlington's Nathan Andrae delivered an RBI single on an 0-2 count in the second inning to tie the game at 1.
Wisconsin Heights' Riley Howard had a three-run triple off Darlington senior pitcher Jesse Sturtz in the third. The other clutch hits in the inning came on Tyler Flamme's RBI single and Peyton Flamme's RBI double. Sturtz pitched 51⁄3 innings and gave up six runs on six hits. He struck out four.
"Jesse left the ball over the plate more than he usually does and they (Wisconsin Heights) were able take advantage of that," Darlington coach Brad Solberg said.
The Redbirds (16-7) were limited to just four hits. Wisconsin Heights' Tylan Parman earned the win going five innings and giving up just one run. He struck out two and walked two. Tyler Flamme went 2-for-3 with two RBI to lead the Vanguards at the plate.
"I'm just proud of them. They were a joy to coach. I hope people were paying attention and our young players were learning from this experience. They have the potential to take it a step further."
With 12 seniors, the Redbirds will have a lot of starters and roles to replace next year.
"It will be tough to replace them," Solberg said of the 12 seniors. "We have a bunch of juniors who have been waiting to play for two years. I'm looking forward to them stepping up and getting their opportunity."
