WIOTA — Headed into the final weekend of the regular season, Wiota and Blanchardville are each a win (and help) away from a Home Talent Sunday League Western South Division title.
The Indians (9-5, 6-3) lost to Hollandale (10-5, 7-2) July 21 by a score of 4-1, allowing Hollandale to take a one-game lead on Wiota headed into the weekend. Wiota was slated to travel to Belleville (1-12, 0-8) for a crossover game July 26, and then the make-or-break game against Blanchardville (9-6, 6-3) is set for July 27. Hollandale’s last game is July 28 at home against Shullsburg-Benton (8-7, 4-5).
Should the Rockies lose to the Fever, then the winner of the Wiota/Blanchardville game will split the division title. The outcome of the final weekend’s games also matter in the playoff picture, with the postseason set to begin Aug. 4.
July 21
Hollandale 4, Wiota 1
WIOTA — The Rockies scored twice in the second inning and then added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth against the Indians.
Ben Conway took the loss on the mound, tossing 115 pitches across eight innings. Conway allowed nine hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Just one of the three runs he gave up were earned. Jeff Solberg pitched the ninth for Wiota.
Rooney Janecke had four hits in the leadoff spot for the Indians, while Solberg and Jesse Sturtz each had two hits.
Mount Horeb-Pine Bluff 9, Argyle 5
ARGYLE — Lance Rossing was 3 for 5 for the Beavers, but the Bluffers rallied from a 4-0 deficit and outscored Argyle 9-1 over the final six innings.
Argyle scored a pair of runs in both the second and the third, but the Bluffers put two on the board in the top of the fourth. The Beavers were able to get one run back, but struggled to find offense the rest of the way. Mount Horeb tied the game at 5 with a 3-run fifth inning, then added a run in each of the sixth and eighth, and two runs in the ninth.
Miken Godfrey pitched the first four innings for Argyle, allowing nine hits and three walks in four innings of work. Colton Ploessl came out of the bullpen and put in four innings of relief, but was hung with the loss after allowing two runs on three hits and four walks. Kris Rieder allowed two more runs in the ninth on a hit and three walks.
Bryce Hopwood started for the Bluffers, tossing 6.1 innings and allowing eight hits. Cole Payne came out of the bullpen and allowed just one baserunner in the final 2.2 innings, striking out three.
July 20
Argyle 5, Shullsburg-Benton 4, 11 innings
Rossing had three hits, and Tyler Henneman and Dylan Schwitz each had two as the Beavers took one from the Fever in extra innings.
Ryan Erickson tossed 113 pitches in 8.1 innings of work, giving up 10 hits and two walks with six strikeouts in the grueling heat. Rieder tossed the final 2.2 innings and scattered five hits and a walk to get the win. Jacob Beredes opened the game for the Fever, tossing 7.1 innings.
Henneman, Kramer Henning and Lee Bohlman each doubled for Argyle, which fell behind 3-0 after the first inning but rallied with runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth to tie it. Shullsburg scored a run in the top of the ninth to make it 4-3, but in the bottom of the ninth, the Beavers tied it. Schwitz singled with one out on a tapper in front of the plate, and then stole second two pitches later. Rossing then singled home Schwitz to tie the game.
In the bottom of the 11th, Argyle had multiple opportunities to get on the board. Henning walked to open the frame and Schwitz sacrificed courtesy runner Colton Ploessl to second. Rossing then reached on a bunt single, with Ploessl advancing to third. Bohlman then attempted to squeeze home Ploessl, but the Fever were ready and nabbed the winning-run at the plate. With two outs and Rossing standing on second, Tyler Ritschard singled to left to bring home Rossing to end the game.
Night League Update
Wiota captured at least part of the Night League South title, going 5-1 on the season with one game to play. Blanchardville is 4-1 with two games remaining, with Shullsburg-Benton at 3-1 overall and three games left on the schedule. Hollandale (1-4) and Argyle (0-6) are at the bottom of the barrel headed into the final week, with league games scheduled for July 25 and Aug. 1.
