The Reedsville Panthers dropped a 2-1 11-inning decision to the Postosi/ Cassville Chieftains in a WIAA Division Four State Semifinal Baseball Game played Tuesday morning at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.
The Chieftains would score the game’s first run in the bottom of the first inning, and it would remain 1-0 until the top of the sixth inning, when Panthers shortstop Ben Prochnow scored from third on an RBI groundout by Nathan Christensen and the game was tied at one.
The Chieftains would have plenty of chances to win the game, but failed to score with bases loaded in the sixth and eighth innings, and they also came up empty with the game-winning run at third base with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Reedsville would also have its opportunities. In the top of the eighth, they left two runners stranded and another in the ninth with a runner at second failing to score.
Potosi/ Cassville would eventually push across the winning run as a fielding error with two out in the bottom of the 11th inning, and the Chieftains advance to Thursday morning’s Division Four state championship game.
The Chieftains out-hit the Panthers 10 to 2 and won the game despite stranding 17 runners on base.
Reid Weber earned the win, pitching four innings in relief of starter Kolton Volgesberg, who threw the first seven innings for the Chieftains.
Landon Mertz pitched the first inning and two-thirds for Reedsville, with Lucas Lodel doing an outstanding job in relief, holding the Chieftains scoreless for seven and a third innings. Jack Schwahn pitched the tenth and eleventh innings and took the loss.
The Panthers finish an historic season by making their first trip to the state tournament with a record of 19-7, while Potosi/Cassville improves to 20-7 and advances to Thursday morning’s Division Four state championship game against either Columbus Catholic or Loyal.
