The Oconto Falls American Legion team fell one game short of state after Kaukauna ended a solid performance in the American Legion Class AA Region 3 tournament with a 4-1 win Saturday at Memorial Park in Shawano.
After reaching the championship Saturday with an 11-5 win over Shawano on Friday night, Oconto Falls (13-11) surprised undefeated Kaukauna with a 2-0 win to force a second game in the double-elimination tourney.
In the second game, Kaukauna (12-6) took control early with two runs in the first. Oconto Falls closed the gap to 2-1 in the sixth on a sacrifice by Dylan Woosman.
Kaukauna closed the door with two more unearned runs in the seventh.
“I’m happy with where we ended up,” Oconto Falls coach Chris Hillberg said. “We played two very good baseball games against Kaukauna, who is an outstanding team.”
Hunter Magnin, who struck out 15 batters in a 2-0 Oconto Falls win over Shawano on Thursday, was replaced by Evan Sigmund in the second inning. They combined to allow four runs on eight hits. They struck out six and walked four.
“We gave them two unearned runs in the first,” Hillberg said. “We tried giving Hunter (Magnin) a go, but his arm was a little sore from going two days prior.”
Kaukauna pitchers Sam Bartman and Riley Vanderberg held Oconto Falls to one run on three hits. They struck out six and walked four.
Woosman was 1 for 2 with an RBI. Alex Johnson and Connor Sefcik were each 1 for 2.
Alex Meyerhofer was 3 for 4 to lead Kaukauna.
Gruetzmacher shines
In the first game, Sam Konitzer hit a two-run double to open the scoring in the fifth inning. Riley Gruetzmacher and Sefcik each had base hits earlier in the inning.
Mike Manns, who led the team with a pair of hits, added a double in the fifth.
Gruetzmacher, meanwhile, kept Kaukauna’s bats quiet, throwing a complete-game, 1-hit shutout. He struck out eight and walked three.
“Riley came out and threw that seven-inning shutout that was just dominating,” Hillberg said. “That was really good.”
Tanner VanDehey had Kaukauna’s only hit.
Kaukauna pitcher Brett Skenadore gave up two runs on seven hits, struck out five and walked none.
“Our ultimate goal was to go to state and see what kind of damage we could do,” Hillberg said. “Being one game and three runs away from going to state, I could say we can look back and say we had a very successful season.”
Shawano falls
Derek Zahn was a menace in both games against Shawano earlier in the tournament. He hit an RBI double in Thursday’s game to give Oconto Falls the lead. His two-run double to left field Friday tied that game. Johnson then hit a double to center field that chased Shawano pitcher Clint Dallas from the mound.
“Derek Zahn’s bat has just been huge for us in this tournament,” Hillberg said. “It seems like every time he’s up, he’s hitting a double. Just stroking the baseball. It’s a joy to watch.”
Zahn earned the win, allowing five runs on seven hits and walking five in 5 1/3 innings of work. Taylor Brabant finished the game. He struck out one and allowed no hits and no runs.
Colten Giese was 3 for 3. Zahn and Manns had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs apiece.
Dallas allowed four runs on six hits in two innings. He struck out one and walked one. Mason Boogren allowed seven runs on six hits and walked one. Boogren was replaced in the sixth by Brandon Cummings, who allowed a hit and struck out one.
Shawano had three errors in the game.
Categories
