Wisconsin High School Sports | Wisconsin Sports Network | WisSports.net

It'll be mostly game notes and round-ups in this edition of the Opening Pitch.  Just another reminder about our Missing Scores page.  If you see any games that you know the score of, please Contact Us and make sure to include the sport you're submitting for (we also cover softball, so it can be confusing), the date of the game, and obviously the teams involved. 



Coaches, make sure to contact us to get an account to post your team's scores, stats, roster, and schedule directly on our site.  We want to provide positive recognition and exposure to all the deserving student-athletes in the state, but need your help and support.  Players, administrators, and fans, if you notice your team doesn't have up-to-date information, encourage your coaches to contact us.  High school baseball in Wisconsin is outstanding, and we're committed to providing the best state-wide coverage anywhere.  Doing so will require your support and involvement.



On to the games, there were a number of exciting contests with many of them coming down to the final at-bat.  Albany's Brandon Pfeuti capped off his team's late charge with a two-run walk-off shot to take down Belmont 12-11 in a wild affair.  Top-ranked Madison Edgewood staved off a dramatic and improbable comeback from Fort Atkinson to claim a 14-12 extra inning affair that one of our members referred to as "the greatest high school baseball game that I have ever witnessed, my team didn't even win and I feel fine saying that."  Notre Dame rallied with four runs in the bottom of the seventh for a FRCC victory over Green Bay Preble, while a blooper (we always called them duck flares) off the bat of Spencer's Phil Evacic gave the Rockets a win over Marshfield Columbus.



In other action around the state, the Appleton Post-Crescent has a round-up of Fox Valley Association games from Friday night.  Stoughton is starting to find their groove.  Racine Horlick swept a doubleheader with Kenosha Tremper.  Sheboygan South knocked off cross-town rival Sheboygan North, and did so by run rule. 



In the Eau Claire area, Altoona dominated Cloverbelt-West favorite Osseo-Fairchild.  Eau Claire Memorial came into the season with high expectations but stumbled a bit out of the blocks.  The Old Abes are getting back on track quickly and swept a doubleheader with Holmen by a combined score of 24-6.  Across town, Eau Claire North's Tyler Brown had himself a day.  The big senior smacked three long-balls in helping the Huskies to a 23-0 romp over Rice Lake.  Basketball fans are sure to recognize Brown's name, he was a key player in their back-to-back state tournament trips and will head to Central Michigan on a basketball scholarship.  Superior's squad has been buoyed by the addition of two seniors who had given up the baseball cleats years ago, but decided to give it another try this year.



The WIAA Annual Meeting was held recently, and much of the discussion of baseball centered on what to do with the two different seasons currently played, spring and summer.  Here are some notes from the meeting:



[blockquote]-Most of the discussion on baseball revolved around the spring/summer issue and the potential to combine the two into one season.  As expected, there was resistance from schools with existing summer programs.  They cited poor weather as a reason not to move, while a smaller school cited the potential a move from summer to spring could have on both their baseball and track teams potentially getting smaller as many students do both currently.  One AD asked if the WIAA sponsoring a boys sport in the summer but not a girls sport was a violation of Title IX gender equity laws.  Doug Chickering said they had approached the softball coaches about a potential move or addition of a summer season, but there was no support.  Therefore, the option was provided so not a violation. 



-One of the ideas for combining seasons was to move the start date further into April and have the season go from the beginning of April to Mid- to late- June.  This would help avoid some of the weather issues.  Most people refer to this as a "Sprummer" season.



-Ultimately, a show of hands vote had enough support to send combining seasons to the Board of Control for further development of specific plans which would then be voted on by the membership.

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Finally, the Superior Telegram has the first of a three-part story on former Superior High School athlete Adam Bozinski's courageous battle with a cancer that claimed his left foot, but not his desire to play the game he loves.  It's a great story, please give it a read.  We look forward to the next installment.