SAUK CITY — The North All-Stars brought the winning run to the plate but ultimately left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, falling to the West All-Stars 15-12 in one of two Home Talent All-Star games Friday, Aug. 2. In the other section, the Southeast defeated the East 5-4.

The North struck first in the bottom of the opening frame, scoring on an error. The West responded in the top of the second with a two-run home run from Jake Zeal (Shullsburg-Benton).

Jameson Johnson (Blanchardville) led off the top of a two-run fourth with a walk. Sean Reilly (Dodgeville) was hit by a pitch, and Kyle Kleppe (Blanchardville) walked to load the bases. Tristan Largent (Verona) hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Jameson Johnson. The second run scored on a wild pitch. 

The North made it a 4-3 game with RBIs from Jeff Thomasen (Waunakee) and Quinn Baier (Sauk Prairie). 

The West extended its lead once again with another crooked number in the top of the fifth. There were two runners on for Jameson Johnson, who hit a hard line drive to the right fielder. Reilly walked and James Rae (Verona) was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Tannar Johnson (Argyle). He attacked early and lined an RBI single to right. Back-to-back errors on the left side of the field gave the West two more runs. The fifth run of the inning scored on a sacrifice fly from Grant Roh (Dodgeville). Cade Janecke (Wiota) was the tenth batter of the inning and drew a five-pitch walk. 

With a 9-3 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, Joey McNaught (Belleville) toed the rubber for the West. He recorded two quick outs and should have gotten out of the inning with a fly ball to left, but the left fielder dropped the easy fly ball in foul territory. With his second chance, Garrett Pertzborn (Cross Plains) singled to left. McNaught retired the next batter, though, via strikeout.

The West tacked on another run in the top of the sixth. Jameson Johnson doubled to center and advanced to third on an error. With runners on first and third, Reilly stole second to bate a throw. The tactic worked, as the throw down hit Reilly in the foot and Jameson Johnson scored easily.

McNaught returned to the mound for a second inning of work, where the first two batters reached on a walk and infield single. He induced a flyout to Jameson Johnson in center, who would have had an outfield assist on Isaac Jennings (Cazenovia) tagging from second, but the third baseman dropped the throw. After a pop up, Jake Wegner and Easton Zempel tallied back-to-back RBI hits. McNaught limited the damage, inducing a ground ball to Tannar Johnson and first and covering the bag for the final out of the inning.

Eli Zimmerman (Argyle) came in to pitch in the bottom of the seventh. He walked two batters but struck out the side for a scoreless inning.

Janecke led off a four-run eighth with a single to right. Mason Atkins (Muscoda) and Aidyn Halverson (Ridgeway) also singled, loading the bases for Jameson Johnson. With a 3-1 count, he lined a two-RBI single up the middle to make it a 12-6 ball game. Josh Cartwright (Muscoda) drove in a run on the first pitch of his at-bat, and Tannar Johnson grounded into a double play that plated another run.

Five hits and one error later, the North drew within four at 14-10.

The West tacked on an insurance run in the ninth, as Trey Gordon (Hollandale) reached on an infield single. He moved up on a wild pitch and Janecke drove him home. 

Down to their final three outs, the North scored two runs, loaded the bases and brought the winning run to the plate with two outs. DeShawn Barsness struck out looking, securing a win for the West.