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Bay Port vs. Sun Prairie, Game 4



Final -- Bay Port 8, Sun Prairie 1

Leading hitters: Bay Port -- Dominic Utrie 2-4, 1 run; Josh Jaro 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Zac Peterson 1-4, RBI; Andrew Murphy 1-4 2 runs. Sun Prairie -- David Diaz 1-2, RBI.



WP -- Sean Grabig; LP -- Michael Handel.



Sun Prairie is eliminated from its ninth state tournament appearance and fourth in five years. Bay Port is making its seventh appearance at state and fifth in nine years.



Bay Port (24-5) advances to play Middleton (21-6) in the second semifinal tonight.



Sun Prairie's season ends at 19-8.





6:30 p.m. -- David Diaz hits a chopper up the middle for a base hit to ruin the shutout for Bay Port pitcher Sean Grabig. But the Pirates' lef-hander induces a game-ending double play to end the game.



It's nice to see the head coaches for all the teams today getting as many of their bench players into the game as pinch hitters or runners.



The evening session, which was supposed to start at 6 p.m. with begin at least an hour late.



7th inning -- As if there was any doubt, Bay Port put the game away with three runs in the seventh. The Pirates put runners at first and second with two outs and Sun Prairie coach Rob Hamilton pulled starter Michael Handel. But reliever Matt Meekma didn't fair any better.



Bay Port extended its lead to 8-0 on Zac Peterson's bases-loaded infield single, a bases loaded walk to Brad Klimek and a wild pitch. The Pirates have scored all eight of their runs today with two outs.



6th inning -- Both teams went down in order 1-2-3. Bay Port still leads 5-0 heading into the seventh inning.



5th inning -- Sun Prairie wasted a one-out double by Tyler Patterson in the bottom of the fourth. Sean Grabig struck out the side for the second time, getting Eric Wilberding looking and Bill Thiel swinging to end the inning. Bay Port still leads 5-0.



Sun Prairie had a baserunner for the fourth time in five innings in the fifth but Ross Harmon, who drew a two-out walk, was stranded.



4th inning -- You have to play good defense to succeed at state, a point being emphasized again today as a Sun Prairie miscue has led to a pair of runs for Bay Port, which now has a 5-0 lead.



Pirates' pitcher Sean Grabig lined a two-out double to left-center and scored on a throwing error by third baseman James Garvey. Logan Peot followed with an RBI single and Dominic Hines reached on an infield single before Michael Handel got Dominic Utrie to fly out to center field for the third out.



3rd inning -- Bay Port pitcher Sean Grabig helps his own cause with a sacrifice fly in the second inning to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Meanwhile on the mound, Grabig has allowed three baserunners so far, including a two-out walk in the second and Joshua Rowles' one-out single in the third. Grabig, though, induces Karl Huemmer to bounce into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.



1st inning -- Bay Port pitcher Sean Grabig strikes out the side and leaves Michael Handel, who doubled with two outs for Sun Prairie, stranded at second base.



Bay Port is riding a five-game winning streak and has won 15 of its last 17 games. The Pirates' only losses in that span were 1-0 shutouts by DePere and Denmark.



The Pirates jump out to a 2-0 lead on Josh Jaro's two-run double to right field with two outs in the first inning. That scored Andrew Murphy, who had singled, and Logan Peot, who reached base on a fielder's choice.



Sun Prairie has a four-game winning streak and has won 9 of its last 10. It's only loss in that span was 8-7 to Janesville Craig. Coach Rob Hamilton has a career record of 157-51.



First pitch is 4:25 p.m. and it's a ball.



Sun Prairie wins the coin flip and is the home team.



Starting lineups:



Bay Port (23-5)

1 - Sean Grabig, P

2 - Andrew Murphy, C

3 - Logan Peot, 1B

4 - Dominic Utrie, DH

5 - Josh Jaro, LF

6 - AJ Gaura, 3B

7 - Dominic Putala, SS

8 - Zac Peterson, CF

9 - Brad Klimek, 2B

-- Ryan Hynes, RF



Sun Prairie (19-7)

1 - Joshua Rowles, SS

2 - Karl Huemmer, CF

3 - Michael Handel, P

4 - Tyler Patterson, C

5 - Eric Wilberding, 1B

6 - Bill Thiel, LF

7 - David Diaz, DH

8 - Ryan Tanner, 2B

9 - Ross Harmon, RF

-- James Garvey, 3B



 

Middleton vs. Janesville Craig, Game 3



Final -- Middleton 9, Janesville Craig 3

Janesville Craig made nine errors and Middleton made the Cougars pay for their mistakes. That led to six unearned runs for Middleton (21-6), which advances to play in the state semifinals tonight at approximately 8:30 p.m. against the winner of the fourth and final Division quarterfinal of the day -- Sun Prairie vs. Bay Port.



Leading hitters: Middleton -- Romie Ripp 2-3, 3 RBI; Ben Mathias 2-3; Brooks Braga 1-2, 3 Runs, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB; Garrett Nowinski 1-3, 2 RBI, 1 BB; Shane Adler 0-1, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SF.

Janesville Craig -- Derek Mussey 2-2, 1 run; Zach Whalen 2-3, 1 RBI.



WP -- Shane Adler (10-0); LP -- Brett Fredricks (8-2).



Craig is eliminated from its 11th state tournament appearance. Middleton is making its 10th appearance and first since 2006.



7th inning -- Alec Tiedt is trying to finish up for Middleton starter Shane Adler, who left after five innings with a 9-0 lead. Adler, Middleton's ace, will have two innings left to pitch over the next two games.

Brooks Braga did his job as lead-off hitter, setting the table by reaching base four times on two walks, an RBI-single and a fielder's choice. He also scored three runs and drove in another with a sacrifice fly to cap the Cardinals' scoring.

Adler was 0-for-2 officially but reached on a walk, stole a base and scored and drove in two runs with a pair of sacrifice flies in the third and fourth innings.

Ben Mathias also had two hits.

Janesville Craig now trails 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh. Dylan Grall delivered a run-scoring single in the sixth. Keith Wright and Derek Mussey each scored on a wild pitch in the seventh.



2:25 p.m. -- Three questions you don't want to ask after a game:

What are the most errors you have committed in a game this season?

Do you think you should have swung at that called third strike?

How many unearned runs did you give up?

Those are all legitimate questions the Janesville Craig Cougars may be asked after their state quarterfinal game with Middleton today.

This doesn't look like the Craig team that hasn't made an error over the last three games.



4th inning -- Middleton roars out to a 7-0 lead. Brooks Braga singled in a run with the bases loaded and Garrett Nowinski then drew a walk to score another run and give Middleton a 5-0 lead in the fourth. Shane Adler's sacrifice fly and Romie Ripp's RBI-single capped the Cardinals' four-run inning.



Janesville Craig second baseman Austin Geller committed three errors in back-to-back Middleton at bats in the fourth to run the Cougars' total to eight errors in three-plus innings.





3rd Inning -- Brooks Braga drew a lead-off walk and later scored on Shane Adler's sacrifice fly to give Middleton a 3-0 lead in the top of the third. Adler, meanwhile, has retired the Cougars 1-2-3 the past two innings. Through three innings, Janesville Craig has managed just one hit but committed five errors.





1:45 p.m. -- With two outs, Craig gets a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the first inning. But the Cougars fail to score when they get a runner thrown out at the plate. Christian DeCremer walked and moved to third on a single to center by Zach Whalen. Center fielder Derek Layton's throw gets away from Brooks Braga at third but Braga tracks it down and throws DeCremer out on a close play at the plate.



****



Just found the concession stand after breezing through the first two games. It's 2.50 for a hot dog, but the ample supply of dark mustard, onions and relish makes it a keeper.



Great setting for a ball game, the home of the Midwest League Class A Brewers farm club, the Timber Rattlers. It was only a two hours from the Beltline in Madison and worth the trip to see last year's No. 1 draft pick Brett Lawrie.

 

1st inning -- We're underway at 1:22 p.m. Middleton's Brooks Braga, who the announcer keeps calling Bray-ga instead of Brah-ga, leads off with a walk, steals second and moves to third on a throwing error. Craig pitcher Brett Fredricks then strikes out Garrett Novinski and Derek Layton before walking clean-up hitter Shane Adler, who two pitches later steals second.

Romie Ripp then delivers the clutch two-out hit, lining a 1-2 pitch to center field to score both Braga and Adler. Kevin Brunasky took a called third strike to end the inning.

Middleton 2, Craig -- which committed three errors in the top of the first -- coming up to bat.

 



1:08 p.m. -- Middleton is taking infield. Janesville Craig has already taken its warmups. Game time was originally set for 1 p.m. so we'll start the afternoon session in the hole.



12:50 p.m. -- After a bright sun for the early games, we will play this game under mostly cloudy skies. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for the next two days so we'll take this, ahem, one game at a time.



Lineups have been posted for the third Division 1 quarterfinal of the day and first game of the afternoon session.



Middleton

Brooks Braga, 3B

Garrett Novinski, 2B

Derek Layton, CF

Shane Adler, P

Romie Ripp, LF

Kevin Drunasky, C

Ben Mathias 1B

Travis Martin, RF

Aaron Gowan, SS



Janesville Craig

Zach Bayreuther, SS

Brett Fredricks, P

Christian DeCremer, CF

Zach Whalen, 3B

Dylan Grall, 1B

Austin Geller, 2B

Jameson Henning, DH

Charlie Meyer, C

Ben Olin, LF

-- Keith Wright, RF