By NATE BEIER | For the County Line
There was no time to take a seventh-inning stretch in last week’s battle of unbeatens as Brookwood and Hillsboro squared off for control of the Scenic Bluffs Conference.
Hillsboro, which entered the game ranked 10th in the coaches’ poll, took a 3–0 lead in the first inning and went up 4–0 after scoring another in the third. But a late-game rally gave the Falcons a fighting chance to cut down the conference title hopefuls, which they did on a single to shallow right field by Weston Muehlenkamp, taking an 8–7 victory.
Brookwood’s answer to Hillsboro’s early lead was a 4-run third inning.
Aaron Dwyer singled to score Kaden Brandau. A double by Ricky Myers drove in Dwyer shortly afterward. Brady Zimmerman doubled in the next at-bat to drive in both Myers and Weston Muehlenkamp, who walked after Dwyer’s single.
The game stayed tied at four into the sixth inning, when Brookwood threatened again, loading the bases with only one out before a pair of strikeouts by Hillsboro’s Trent Thorson ended the inning.
Hillsboro’s Cade Jensen opened the seventh inning with a single to center, which was stretched to a double on account of a fielding error. A string of four straight walks by pitchers Dwyer and reliever Mitchell Klinkner drove in two runs. A sac fly by Dane Bach drove in another, and the Tigers held a 7–4 advantage.
Brookwood rallied in their final at-bat. Evan Wang led off with a single. Frank Wildes walked. Klinkner reached on an error and drove in Wang. Kaden Brandau hit into what could have been a double play, but a fielding error kept the rally alive as Wildes scored. Dwyer grounded out, but allowed Klinkner time to score from third to tie the game at seven. Weston Muehlenkamp ended the game with a single down the right field line, which scored Brandau and allowed the Falcons to take control of the Scenic Bluffs Conference standings for the time being.
The Falcons tallied 14 hits, led by Dwyer with 3-two doubles and a single as well as 2 RBI. August Arndt had a single and a double. Brookwood left 12 on base compared with Hillsboro’s four.
Klinkner, Myers, and Zimmerman also had doubles in the game.
Dwyer pitched into the seventh inning, striking out eight, walking three and allowing four earned runs. Klinkner earned the win in relief, walking two in his brief appearance.
“That’s the exciting aspect of baseball: you can’t run out the clock,” said Olbert. “Hopefully this will give our younger players some confidence, as we have a big week ahead.”
Around the Scenic Bluffs
Kickapoo topped Brookwood 4–3 on April 16.
Brookwood stranded 15 runners, including three at the end of the game.
The Panthers went ahead on a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning that put them up for good.
Brookwood coach Paul Olbert said that his team didn’t have the timely hitting they did the night before against Cashton, but considered it a “fairly well-played game” because both teams had used their top-tier pitchers in conference matches the night before.
Monday’s game with New Lisbon was tied 1–1 in the eighth inning and was suspended due to darkness. The game will be finished when New Lisbon travels to Brookwood.
Cashton defeated Wonewoc-Center 15–1 in five innings Monday. Bangor defeated Necedah 12–2 before the rain came in on Monday. Hillsboro defeated Cashton 6–4 on April 23.