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Rally of the Week: Sixth-inning heroics help Kimberly to state baseball title

06/21/2017, 11:15am CDT
By Travis Wilson

The sixth inning was a special one for the Kimberly baseball team at the 2017 WIAA Spring Baseball State Championships, as the Papermakers leveraged strong showings in that inning en route to the Division 1 title.

Despite losing All-Conference senior Danny Vanden Boom to a leg injury in sectionals, Kimberly easily dispatched Waunakee in a state quarterfinal, 11-2, scoring five runs in the sixth inning to help ice things.

The sixth would be even more important later in the day, when Kimberly faced off with Eau Claire North in a state semi-final. With the score tied at one in the bottom half of the sixth, Zach Lechnir led off with a bunt hit, advancing to third on a hit by John Nett. Lechnir would score what proved to the game-winning run on a wild pitch as the Papermakers held on 2-1.

In the championship tilt with Sun Prairie, the game was again tied at one in the sixth inning. It seemed the game would remain tied when Sun Prairie got the first two Kimberly batters out, but the Papermakers put together a huge two-out rally.

Ryan Carney and Zach Lechnir would reach then advance on a wild pitch, with Drew Lechnir delivering a two RBI single to put Kimberly on top. Lechnir would later come around to score on a throwing error, and Kimberly would win 4-2 for their first state title since 2007.

Tag(s): News  News Archive  Travis Wilson  Playoffs