BLANCHARDVILLE - Seniors Cory Linder and Dakota Conwell each hit home runs in the first inning to help the Pecatonica baseball team cruise to a 14-2, five-inning win over Black Hawk on Tuesday in the regular-season finale.
Linder blasted a three-run home run to center in the Vikings' five-run first inning off Black Hawk pitcher Noah Metz. Three batters later, Conwell crushed a two-run homer to center.
"Those two hits really got us off to a great start," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said of Linder and Conwell's home runs. "It really was a great start and set the tone."
Strommen said the game was scheduled to be played in South Wayne, but was moved to Blanchardville because Black Hawk's field was too wet.
Pecatonica senior Presly Hauser went 3-for-3, and senior Jake Dearth was 2-for-3.
Pecatonica senior A.J. Hendrickson pitched three shutout innings to get the win. He struck out four and gave up one hit.
Black Hawk's Jayden Steitz had a two-run single in the fourth off of Dearth. Dearth pitched two innings and gave up two runs on one hit. He struck out one and walked two.
Pecatonica, the top-ranked team in the Division 4 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association state poll, improves to 19-1 overall and 12-1 in the Six Rivers East. Pecatonica will host the winner of the game between Southwestern and Black Hawk in a regional semifinal May 30 in Blanchardville.
Linder blasted a three-run home run to center in the Vikings' five-run first inning off Black Hawk pitcher Noah Metz. Three batters later, Conwell crushed a two-run homer to center.
"Those two hits really got us off to a great start," Pecatonica coach Jim Strommen said of Linder and Conwell's home runs. "It really was a great start and set the tone."
Strommen said the game was scheduled to be played in South Wayne, but was moved to Blanchardville because Black Hawk's field was too wet.
Pecatonica senior Presly Hauser went 3-for-3, and senior Jake Dearth was 2-for-3.
Pecatonica senior A.J. Hendrickson pitched three shutout innings to get the win. He struck out four and gave up one hit.
Black Hawk's Jayden Steitz had a two-run single in the fourth off of Dearth. Dearth pitched two innings and gave up two runs on one hit. He struck out one and walked two.
Pecatonica, the top-ranked team in the Division 4 Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association state poll, improves to 19-1 overall and 12-1 in the Six Rivers East. Pecatonica will host the winner of the game between Southwestern and Black Hawk in a regional semifinal May 30 in Blanchardville.
