HOLLANDALE — The Rockies clinched the Western South Division title in the Sunday Home Talent League July 28 with a walk-off 8-7 win over Shullsburg-Benton.
Hollandale (11-5, 8-2) gave up a 6-spot in the top of the seventh to fall behind 7-2, but rallied late to seal the victory. The Rockies got a run back in the seventh and then put four on the board in the eighth to tie the game thanks to a bases-clearing 3-RBI double by Jared Rear.
In the ninth, Gavin Berdick sprinkled an infield single to third with two-outs, then stole second to get into scoring position. On a full-count, Kyle Thompson singled to right and Berdick came around to score the winning run.
Jacob Berendes started the game for the Fever and allowed two earned runs on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts. Justin Crotty entered in relief with one out in the sixth and gave up five runs — four earned — on five hits and a walk in two innings. Tommy Behrens took the loss for Shullsburg-Benton, tossing the final 1.1 innings.
Thompson was 2 for 5 with two RBIs for Hollandale, while Rear was 3 for 5 with two doubles. Berdick and Devin Jeglum each had two hits. Berdick entered for Jeglum and the two combined to reach base all five times the 9-hole came up to bat.
Crotty was 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs. Berendes, Jim Pavlik and Jayson Haldiman also had two hits apiece for the Fever. Pavlick hit a 3-run homer in the seventh.
Blanchardville (10-6, 7-3) finished second in the division with Wiota (10-6, 6-4) was third. Argyle (8-8, 5-5) was fourth with Shullsburg-Benton (8-8, 4-6) fifth and Ridgeway (1-15, 0-10) buried in the cellar.
Hollandale will host Shullsburg-Benton right away in the opening game of the Home Talent Sunday League playoffs Aug. 4. Wiota will travel to Blanchardville while Argyle is bound for Mount Horeb/Pine Bluff.
July 27: Argyle 12, Ridgeway 2
ARGYLE — Ryan Erickson struck out nine and allowed a pair of unearned runs to collect the win on the mound of the Beavers. Erickson gave up three hits and two walks in five innings of work.
The Beavers opened the game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Another 3-run inning in the fourth gave Argyle a comfortable lead. Ridgeway scored both runs in the top of the fifth, but the Beavers countered with a 6-run bottom half of the frame to put the game away.
Dylan Schwitz was 1 for 3 with two walks and three runs in the leadoff hole. Tyler Henneman was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Drew Nafzger was 2 for 4 and Tyler Ritschard finished 2 for 2.
Kris Rieder pitched the sixth and Nafzger tossed the seventh.
July 26: Wiota 10, Belleville 9
BELLEVILLE — The Indians gave up eight runs over the final three frames but were able to get the final out on the Raiders before the tying run could score in the bottom of the ninth.
Wiota scored two runs in each of the first two innings. The Raiders put themselves on the board in the bottom of the sixth and trailed 5-3 after eight innings.
The Indians put up a five-spot in the top of the night, seemingly putting the game away. But Belleville came back fearless, putting up six runs against starter Ben Conway and reliever Jesse Sturtz. Sturtz walked five runners and gave up zero hits, but five unearned runs (six total) crossed against him in his 2/3 innings. Sturtz tossed 46 pitches and struck out two. Conway tossed 8.1 innings and struck out 11.
Andrew Nimtz tossed the first seven innings for Belleville, and Sam Quinn pitched the final two. Merrill Brunson, Jeff Solberg, Tommy Meier and Conway all had two hits for Wiota. Brock Gilkes had three hits for Belleville, while Josh Dahl had two.
Night League, July 25: Hollandale 3, Argyle 2
HOLLANDALE — Lukas Kolasch pitched five innings and struck out nine for Argyle. Kolasch allowed just one hit but walked six. Colton Ploessel tossed the final 1.2 innings but took the loss.
Argyle took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth, but Hollandale tied it in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Austin Faye doubled to right to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Tyler Ritschard had two hits for Argyle.
