BLANCHARDVILLE — As the Home Talent Sunday League gets into the dog days of the second half, of the season, teams played two games over the 4th of July holiday weekend.
The Shullsburg-Benton Fever split its games between Argyle and Blanchardville. On July 4, the Argyle Beavers were tripped up by the Fever on the road 7-4, while the next day, the Fever fell victim to the Blanchardville Bullets 9-8 in 10 innings.
Connor Crotty belted a 3-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off Argyle pitcher Kylo Barker to set the tone. The Beavers would tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning, but the Fever took the lead back with a run in the bottom half, then added two more insurance runs in the eighth.
Leadoff Jim Pavlik led the Fever with a 2-for-4 day at the plate against Argyle, driving in two and scoring two runs, while No. 2 hitter Mitch Mclaughlin reached base five times on a hit and four walks and scored two runs. Mclaughlin tossed six innings on the mound to get the win, allowing just two earned runs and striking out 11. Zach Lieb struck out three in two scoreless innings of relief, and Justin Crotty locked down the save in the ninth.
Barker allowed five runs (three earned) in 5.2 innings, striking out 11 while walking seven and giving up just two hits. BJ Penniston launched a solo homer for the Beavers.
The next day, the Fever’s bats stayed hot, and put runs on the board in four of the game’s first five innings against Blanchardville. Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the eighth, the Bullets finally scratched a run across the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth, the Bullets went to work, knocking out Fever starting pitcher Nathan Hendrickson after Brooks Chandler and Riley Gould led off the frame by getting hit with pitches.
Crotty entered to try and hold the save. Tanner Simmons walked on five pitches to load the bases, but Hunter Enloe struck out swinging. Three pitches later, AJ Hendrickson singled to left, plating Chandler. Cole Breuer then lined out, leaving the Bullets down to their final out.
Falling into an 0-2 count, Dakota Doescher choked up on the bat and singled to left to plate two runners. Drew Schliem then hit a hard grounder to third. His hustle down the line allowed him to reach on an error by 3B Maddox Knauer. Down by one with runners on first and second, Kyle Kleppe cranked a double to right on the very next pitch, scoring Doescher and tying the game.
In the top of the 10th, the Fever scored a pair of runs on a Pavlik single to go ahead 8-6. Blanchardville loaded the bases thanks to a drag bunt single by Enloe. AJ Hendrickson cashed in with a fielder’s choice to third, and Doescher won it with a 2-RBI single to left two pitches later.
Enloe was the starter on the mound for the Bullets, allowing two runs in 3.2 innings. Simmons tossed 4.1 innings of relief, and Schliem got the win with the final 1.2 innings thrown. Knauer took the loss for the Fever.
In other area games, Wiota defeated Dodgeville 7-4 on July 4, but lost to Hollandale 8-0 on July 6.
