The Oconto Falls American Legion baseball team captured its fourth consecutive win Monday with a 5-0 victory against Menominee.
Pitcher Hunter Magnin struck out seven batters, giving him 19 strikeouts in his last 12 innings.
“He is solid all around, he is throwing well all around and his curveball is excellent,” catcher Mike Manns said. “He is hitting his pitches and his fastball has a ton of movement on it. It is all Hunter.”
Manns, who had a double, scored Oconto Falls’ first run Monday against Menominee on a single by outfielder Connor Sefcik.
Magnin was clinging to a one-run lead until the fourth inning when Alex Johnson hit a double to the center-field wall and scored on a Dylan Woosnan single. Colton Geise (2-for-5) drove in the second run of the inning with a single to right field, scoring Taylor Brabandt.
“I got confident with a nice lead, and just get the ball in there and let (Menominee) hit it to allow the defense to make plays,” said Magnin, who recorded six of his strikeouts in the first five innings.
Oconto Falls (10-9, 7-7 Fox River Valley North) added a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, to give Magnin more run support heading into the final frame.
Menominee (7-3) put runners on the corners with none out in the seventh. However, Magnin remained focused and coaxed Menominee into a groundout and flyout before capping off the game with his seventh strikeout.
“He is a gamer,” Oconto Falls coach Chris Hillberg said. “When the game gets tough and people get on base, he just takes care of business.”
Magnin, who allowed two hits and three walks, said his strategy is pretty simple: “Take a couple deep breaths on the mound and then get back into it. … My fastball has been really working, and my curveball has been my strikeout pitch.”
Magnin suffered his last loss, 5-4, June 24 at Marinette.
Oconto Falls 11
Oconto 0
Oconto Falls exploded with 11 runs in four innings Thursday to defeat Oconto (0-7) behind Magnin, who struck out 12 and allowed three hits and two walks in five innings.
Oconto Falls jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning with runs scored by Johnson, Manns, who was 2-for-3, and Zahn.
Manns and Bo Shroyer scored in the second inning, and Johnson and Sam Shroyer added two more in the third inning before the offense poured on four more runs in the fourth inning.
Oconto Falls 7
Niagara 6
Designated hitter Bo Shroyer’s three-run blast in the fifth inning powered Oconto Falls past Niagara in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday.
Bo Shroyer’s home run scored catcher Mike Manns, who plated twice, and lead-off hitter Alex Johnson.
Oconto Falls trailed 5-2 after four innings following the early departure of starter Derek Zahn, who allowed five runs, three earned, in 1 2/3 innings.
Reliever Evan Sigmund was able to keep the team in the game, allowing two hits and one run with four strikeouts.
Outfielder Sam Shroyer scored the decisive run in the sixth inning on a passed ball.
Oconto Falls 2
Niagara 1
Outfielder Luke Truckey scored the game-winning run in a pitchers’ duel in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader against Niagara.
Truckey hit a lead-off double in the final inning, advanced on a Niagara passed ball and scored on a Connor Sefick fielder’s choice.
Taylor Brabandt broke a 1-1 deadlock with a fifth-inning solo home run.
Bo Shroyer pitched the first four innings for Falls, allowing one run on three hits, while striking out two.
Zahn picked up the victory in relief, pitching three scoreless innings, allowing three hits, two walks and striking out two batters.
Pulaski 2
Oconto Falls 0
Oconto Falls was unable to capitalize on a strong pitching performance by Zahn, who allowed one earned run through seven innings against Pulaski (3-7) on July 9.
Zahn held Pulaski scoreless until the seventh inning. He allowed four hits and three walks, and recorded four strikeouts.
Pulaski held Oconto Falls to two hits, one from Truckey and the other from Johnson.
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