Thanks in part to a no-hitter by junior Riley Gruetzmacher, the Oconto Falls High School baseball team Saturday split a doubleheader with Shawano at Memorial Field in Oconto Falls.
The right-handed Gruetzmacher pitched all seven innings of the second game and led Oconto Falls (2-5, 1-5 Bay) to a 2-0 win. He struck out 11 batters and allowed only two walks.
“He did really well,” Oconto Falls coach Charlie Rochon said. “He had his breaking ball working today, and he got it in for strikes. That’s a big thing.”
Solid pitching was the story of the day with both clubs getting complete games out of their pitchers. The four hurlers logged a combined 38 strikeouts.
“Three runs scored in two games between the two teams—offensive juggernauts here,” Rochon said.
While the bats were quiet, Shawano coach Rob Wolff said the game showcased the teams’ strengths.
“Real quality baseball, defensively, pitching-wise,” he said.
Shawano (2-5, 2-4 Bay) won the first game 1-0 after scoring on a Taylor Prey single in the first inning. Oconto Falls pitcher Hunter Magnin soon settled into a rhythm, though, and held Shawano to just four hits.
“They got the one run, then he settled down and he shut them down,” Rochon said. “He pitched a very good game.”
Shawano pitcher Grant Wainio earned the win, throwing 11 strikeouts, walking one and allowing six hits.
“When do you ever see a doubleheader, where both starters in both games go all seven (innings)? In high school baseball, that rarely happens,” Wolff said.
Wolff said he thought Wainio, a junior, pitched his best game of the season.
Both clubs failed to score through the first two innings of the second game. In the third inning, Prey, Shawano’s senior pitcher, gave up a single to Michael Manns and walked two other batters to load the bases. Oconto Falls went ahead when junior Bo Shroyer hit a two-RBI single, bringing in Manns and Alex Johnson.
Prey finished with eight strikeouts. He walked five and gave up five hits and two earned runs.
Wolff said his team needs to work on its hitting.
“You have to tip your hat, they were some quality pitchers, but we have to put the ball more consistently in play,” Wolff said. “Right now that’s our nemesis. All it takes is one of us to have a 4-for-4 game, maybe someone gets a home run. Something has to get us going.”
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