WAUPUN — Erik Marwitz hit a tying two-run homer in the sixth inning and Waupun was aided by three of Beaver Dam's four errors in the seventh inning to score four times and rally for Saturday's 8-4 American Legion baseball win.
With the victory, host Waupun (16-4) advances to Monday's game at 5:30 p.m.. Waupun would have to lose twice to be denied a trip to next weekend's Class AA state tournament in Merrill.
Beaver Dam (24-8), ranked first in Class AA, held a 4-1 lead after three innings coming off of a 13-10 win over Watertown Prepside earlier in the day. BD plays an elimination game at 5 p.m. Sunday against the winner of the Prepside-Waushara County game earlier in the day.
"It was a big win," Waupun coach Tom Nickel said. "It put us in a very good position."
BD took a 4-1 lead after three innings off of Waupun starter Tyler DeBoer with two runs in the first and third innings. With the bases loaded in the second, Waupun's Branden Pluim robbed BD of a hit and ended that threat.
"He went deep in the hole and was almost on his knees when he threw the guy out," Nickel said. "That stopped the momentum from going the Beaver Dam way.
"After the third, Tyler threw a great game. Once we got it tied, he shut the door."
Waupun got a run in the fifth inning to set up Marwitz, who homered for the second time in as many games.
"He's been swinging the bat very well the last three weeks," Nickel said. "He couldn't have picked a better time to start hitting it hard."
Cody Schmitt replaced Kyle Lee in the seventh inning and BD repeatedly gave Waupun extra outs. Jake Wojahn had an RBI double and Lucas Brown singled in two runs to give Waupun its first and only lead of the contest.
"Lee threw a very good ball game," Nickel said. "He has a very good team behind him.
"Our kids never gave up and they played hard."
Wojahn finished 2-for-3 for Waupun.
Schmitt doubled and drove in two runs while Ben Schmid added a double for BD.
WAUPUN 8, BEAVER DAM 4
Waupun 010 012 4 - 8 10 2
Beaver Dam 202 000 0 - 4 6 4
WP: DeBoer (7 IP, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 1 HP, 6 K)
LP: Schmitt (1 IP, 4 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K)
Leading hitters: W - Marwitz HR, 2 RBI; Wojahn 2-3, 2B; Brown 2 RBI; BD - Schmitt 2B, 2 RBI; Schmid 2B.