Baraboo starts with a win

REEDSBURG — Sam Seymour might have started the game on the mound, but he won it in the batters box.

Seymour's two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh inning put the Baraboo varsity American Legion baseball team ahead for good Wednesday, in a 6-5 win over Reedsburg.

The game was the first of the season for Baraboo, and first-year head coach Craig Schlender was hoping it was a sign of more good things to come.

"It's real important to get that first win," Schlender said. "It's a new season and we can be in every game."

The game started out as a pitchers' duel but had a lot of late scoring.

After Reedsburg took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, Mark Kowalke doubled and scored on a Seymour single in the second to tie the game at 1-all.

Baraboo broke the tie in the fifth inning with the help of a crucial Reedsburg error and a big hit by Nick Labeots.

Ethan Dosier drew a leadoff walk to start things off, and a bunt by Steven Lynch was thrown away to put two on with no outs. A walk to Robbie Schultz loaded the bases, and with two outs, Labeots delivered the only hit of the inning — a two-run single to give Baraboo a 3-1 lead.

Reedsburg put together a similar inning in its half of the sixth, as it came up with three runs on just one hit against Seymour and Jake Overlien, who came on in relief of the Baraboo starter in the sixth.

Baraboo immediately got to work on getting the lead back in the seventh inning. Jon Schlender, Schultz, Overlien and Labeots all reached base to start the inning, with one run scoring on a double by Labeots. With two outs, Seymour's single to right field drove home Overlien and Labeots for the go-ahead run and an insurance run. After Reedsburg scored in the bottom half of the inning, the insurance run turned into the game-winner.

"We executed bunts and we were able to move a few runners and make things happen," coach Schlender said of his offense. "They had a little problem with our buns and threw the ball around a little bit."

Schlender also said his team did a good job at the plate, especially after having a couple of weeks off since their last game of the spring baseball season. That season ended with a first-round loss to Reedsburg at regionals.

Reedsburg's varsity high school team defeated Baraboo all three times the Badger North rivals met.

"I told the guys that we could beat Reedsburg because they were probably thinking it was like every other game," the coach said. "I just told them we'll take it one at a time."

Labeots and Seymour led the way at the plate, each getting two hits in the game.

Overlien got the win on the mound, going 1 2-3 innings and allowing three earned runs. He had some problems with his control, as he walked five batters.

Seymour tossed the first 5 1-3, holding Reedsburg to two hits and no earned runs.

Baraboo is scheduled to play Richland Center in a home game today, then faces Portage on the road on Monday.