CC / depositphotos
After a pitcher’s duel for six innings, West Bend West scored 4 times in the top of the 7th and then had to withstand a Manitowoc Lincoln rally in the home half of the inning to defeat the Ships 5-to-1 in a WIAA Baseball Regional title game.
Lincoln’s Noah Wech and the Spartans’ Camden Broske each had pitched scoreless baseball until West Bend West pushed across a run in the top of the 5th on a beautifully executed squeeze bunt.
Wech worked 5 and 2/3rd’s innings of 4 hit ball and finished with 13 strikeouts and 3 walks.
After reliever Ashton Portmann got the final out in the 6th, the Spartans put up a 4-spot in the 7th for some breathing room.
As it turns out, they would need it as the Ships scored a run and had the bases loaded when the final batter flied out to right center to end the threat.
West Bend West will play Beaver Dam on Tuesday in the Sectional semifinals at Oshkosh North.
