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Dennis Semrau

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WIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME -- MARQUETTE (21-20) VS. ARROWHEAD (33-5)



FINAL -- Arrowhead 5, Milwaukee Marquette 4



WP -- Matt Burke, LP -- Collin Weyer.



It is Arrowhead's first state title since 1979. Marquette was the defending state champion and had beaten Arrowhead for the title in 2006.



Arrowhead Quick Quotes:

"Some of us were down, some of us were up. But coach wouldn't let us get down that's for sure," Brian Crook said. "He said, 'Listen, we've been here before.' He was right. We came through and got the win.



"I honestly thought it was over," Karl Sprung said after Marquette claimed a 4-1 in the top of the seventh inning. "I knew we had fight. But with a team as good as Marquette, when they got up by three it's over."

 

8:17 p.m. -- After Crook's single, a wild pitch moved runners to second and third. Cleanup hitter Karl Sprung promptly lined the game-winner to center to set off an emotional celebration.



8:12 p.m. -- After Chris Pendergast was called out on strikes, Andrew Bauer then hit a grounder to shortstop Sam Beres. But second baseman Joe Cannon dropped a toss from Beres for an error. That scored Mayoras and brought Arrowhead within 4-2. Brian Crook followed with a two-run single to left field to tie the score at 4-4.



8:10 p.m. -- Arrowhead is doing its best to make Marquette earn its second straight state title. Matt Mayoras drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning for the Hilltoppers. Josh Henkel was hit by a pitch and designated hitter David Miller followed with a walk to load the bases.



7:58 p.m. -- Hilltoppers first baseman Nolan Peterson blasted a two-run homer over the left-field fence to stake Marquette to a 4-1 lead. It was Peterson's fourth straight hit in the game and seventh consecutive hit on Friday. He finished the day 7-for-7 with a pair of two-run homers, a walk and a sacrifice spanning the semifinal and championship games.



SEVENTH INNING -- Mike Monfre led off for Marquette and reached on an infield single up the middle.



7:47 p.m. -- Joe Cannon followed with a sacrifice bunt that Arrowhead pitcher Matt Burke threw away to move Monfre to third and Cannon to second.



Monfre then scored on Arnie Leinfelder's sacrifice fly to left field, which gave Marquette a 2-1 lead.



SIXTH INNING -- Matt Burke retires Marquette in order. He has allowed one hit and no walks in two innings of reielf.



Andrew Bauer leads off for Arrowhead, which has put the lead-off hitter on the last three innings but managed to score only one run. Bauer popped out to the third baseman but Brian Crook reached on a throwing error by pitcher Collin Weyer. After Crook stole second, cleanup hitter Karl Sprung was walked intentionally. But Weyer struck out Connor Harmann and retired Ryan passaglia on a ground ball to second base.



After sixth inning: Marquette 1, Arrowhead 1. 



7:32 p.m. -- The lights have been turned out at the park as dusk is beginning to settle in.



FIFTH INNING -- Nolan Peterson hit a two-out single for Marquette, his third straight hit this game and sixth hit today. He is 6-for-6 with a walk and a sacrifice spanning the semifinal and championship games. But Arrowhead reliever Matt Burke, who took over for Andrew Bauer to start the inning, retired Ryan Grad on a ground ball back the mound.



Matt Mayoras drew a walk to open the Arrowhead fifth. After moving to second on a wild pitch, Mayoras advanced to third on a sacrifice by John Henkel. David Miller then walked and was lifted for pinch runner Tony Mueller, who moved to second on a passed ball.



Arrowhead attempted a squeeze bunt but Chris Pendergast missed the pitch and Mayoras was caught in no-man's land and tagged out by catcher Mike Monfre  Collin Weyer, who entered the game in relief of starter Jack Archie to open the inning, then retired Pendergast on a one-hopper to the mound.



After fifth inning: Marquette 1, Arrowhead 1.



FOURTH INNING -- Andrew Bauer retired Marquette in order in the top of the inning.



Brian Crook led off the fourth for Arrowhead with a single to center but was cut down attempting to steal second. Karl Sprung followed with a double into the right-field corner and moved to third when Connor Harmann grounded out to second base. But Jack Archie struck out Ryan Passaglia to end the inning.



After fourth inning: Marquette 1, Arrowhead 1.



THIRD INNING -- Marquette first baseman Nolan Peterson leads off with a single to center, his second straight hit this game and fifth today. He is 5-for-5 with a walk and a sacrifice spanning the semifinal and championship games.



Peterson gives the Hilltoppers a 1-0 lead when he moves to seond base on Ryan Grad's infield out and scores on a throwing error by third baseman Chris Pendergast. But Sam Beres takes a called third strike to end the Hilltoppers' inning.



Matt Mayoras leads off the Arrowhead third and rips a double into the left field corner for the Warhawks' first hit of the game. After Josh Henkel popped out to the pitcher, Mayoras advanced to third on a fly ball to left field. Chris Pendergast then came up with a clutch two-out hit with a sharp single to center field to tie the score at 1-1.



After third inning: Marquette 1, Arrowhead 1.



6:47 p.m. -- It's a cool summer evening in Stevens Point with the sun peeking through the clouds. Both Arrowhead and Marquette are playing sound baseball fitting of a championship game. Marquette has one hit and had left three runners on base while Arrowhead has yet to have a baserunner through two innings.



SECOND INNING -- Luke Acker draws a lead-off walk and moves to second on a sacrifice but is stranded when Arrowhead pitcher Andrew Bauer retires Joe Cannon on a fly ball and Arnie leinfeldr on a liner to second base.



Jack Archie needed just seven pitches to retire Arrowhead in order. In retiring the first six Warhawks batters in order, he has only tossed 18 pitches.



After second inning: Marquette 0, Arrowhead 0.



FIRST INNING -- First pitch is at 6:20 and it's a ball. Marquette lead-off hitter Ryan McShane then bounces out to the second baseman and we're rolling. Nolan Peterson follows with a single to right field for the first hit of the game.  He continues his hot hitting today after going -3-for-3 with a run scored and four RBI, including a two-run home run, in the Hilltoppers' 12-3 win over Franklin in the semifinals.



6:26 p.m. -- Peterson steals second with two outs and Jack Archie draws a walk. Sam Beres hits a one-hop smash up the middle which pitcher Andrew Bauer flags down and throws Sam Beres out at first to end the threat.



Arrowhead goes down in order in the first.



After first inning: Marquette 0, Arrowhead 0.





****



Arrowhead (33-5) will meet defending champion Marquette (21-20) in the championship game with the first pitch scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at Bukolt Park in Stevens Point.  This is a rematch of the 2006 title game won by Marquette 5-3.



Arrowhead defeated Marquette in an early-season meeting this spring 8-4. Arrowhead is riding an eight-game winning streak, while Marquette has won its last five games in a row.



Most cloud skies with temps in the upper 60s predicted for this evening.



A delayed broadast of the championship game will be aired on FSN Wisconsin on Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. Check local cable listings for the channel in your area.



Marquette won its second title a year ago when it routed Kettle Moraine 12-1 in the championship game. The Hilltoppers scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to break open a 2-1 contest.  Jack Archie and Luke Acker each had three hits in the game for Marquette.



Wednesday's quarterfinal results

Franklin 2, Homestead 1

Marquette 10, West Salem 0 (5 innings)

Arrowhead 6, West Bend West 4 (8 innings)

Muskego 12, New Holstein (5 innings)



Friday's semifinal results

Marquette 12, Franklin 3.

Arrowhead 14, Muskego 10



Following are tonight's starting lineups:



Milwaukee Marquette (21-20)

Ryan McShane, 3B

Nolan Peterson, 1B

Ryan Grad, LF

Jack Archie, P

Sam Beres, SS

Luke Acker, CF

Mike Monfre, C

Joe Cannon, 2B

Arnie Leinfelder, RF

 

Arrowhead (32-5)

Chris Pendergast, 3B

Andrew Bauer, P

Brian Crook, 1B

Karl Sprung, C

Connor Harmann, RF

Ryan Passaglia, LF

Matt Mayoras, 2B

Josh Henkel, CF

David Miller, DH

-- Paul Kaye, SS



Marquette is the defending state champ and returns to the tournament for the fifth consecutive time and seventh overall. The Hilltoppers also won state in 2006, advanced to the semifinals in 2007 and were runner-up in 1999. Marquette won its second title a year ago when it routed Kettle Moraine in the championship game, 12-1. The Hilltoppers scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to break open a tight, 2-1 lead. They finished fourth in the Greater Metro Conference and advanced to state by edging New Berlin Eisenhower 8-7 in 10 innings.



Arrowhead is back at State for the seventh time and for the first time since the Warhawks finished runner-up in 2006. The Warhawks won the State title in 1979 and have additional runner-up finishes in 1973 and 1975. Arrowhead won the Classic Eight Conference title and advanced to state after winning the Germantown Sectional with a 10-0, six-inning victory over Brookfield East.