Baraboo held to one hit

By Kevin Morales - Capital Newspapers

Tony Bortz didn't need time to think about his answer.

Asked whether throwing four innings of no-hit, shutout ball or going 2-for-2 with three RBIs felt better, the Portage varsity American Legion baseball team pitcher and No. 5 hitter piped up instantly.

"The three RBIs because once you're up it's much easier to throw," he said.

Bortz and his teammates made just about everything look easy Monday, as they held Baraboo (1-1) to one run on one hit and used an early offensive outburst to win 7-1 at Bidwell Field.

Portage scored a pair of first-inning runs and added four more in the second. That was more than enough support for Bortz and relief pitcher Brad Johnson. The two combined to allow just eight base runners.

Bortz struck out six and faced just two batters over the minimum in his four innings. His only flaw was three walks, none of which passed second base.

Johnson entered in the fifth inning and sat down six of the next seven batters he faced. He struck out a pair in three innings of work.

Catcher Kodi Schroeder, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, said the strong performances aren't surprising considering the way the Portage High School baseball team finished its season. It was a number of strong pitching performances that helped the Warriors advance to the WIAA Division 2 Evansville Sectional.

"Pitching has kept it going from school," Schroeder said. "Placement was really good today. That's what they (pitchers) were doing, keeping them off balance."

Baraboo's only offense came in the seventh, when Johnson walked two batters before Dylan Luther's RBI single put Baraboo on the board.

In stark contrast to Baraboo's quiet bats, Portage's offense was humming from the first pitch.

Cody Schmidt and Wes Doleshaw reached on walks in the bottom of the first before Bortz belted a Cody Holloway fastball to the right-field fence and put Portage up 2-0.

Ryan Voelker opened the second inning with a single before Holloway walked Eric Luedemann and hit Schmidt with a pitch to load the bases. Holloway's next batter was his last, as he walked Clark to let Portage extend its lead to 3-0. Baraboo reliever Matt Kowalke entered the game and walked Doleshaw to put Portage up 4-0. Schroeder then grounded into a run-scoring double play before Bortz singled to center and scored Clark to give Portage a 6-0 lead through 1 2/3 innings. Schroeder added an RBI double in the sixth for Portage's seventh run.

The solid offensive output was a positive sign for a Portage club that struggled to find rhythm at the plate in its Legion opener June 9 against DeForest. Besides seven hits, Portage's players reached via eight bases on balls and three hit batsmen. Schmidt stole three bases.

"You gain confidence," Schroeder said. "Once you score the first run it kind of breaks the ice."

Portage 7, Baraboo 1

Baraboo 000 000 1 — 1 1 0

Portage 240 001 x — 7 7 0

Pitchers — Bortz (W), Johnson (5); Holloway (L), Kowalke (2). SO leaders — Bortz 6, Holloway 2, Kowalke 2.

Leading hitters — Bortz (P) 2x2, Schroeder (P) 2x4. 2B: Bortz, Schroeder.