Eagles still in hunt for title
Photo by Todd Krysiak / Sauk Prairie Eagle
Sauk Prairie Eagles No. 12 slides into home plate ahead of the throw on a two-run triple by Andy Ploetz in the bottom of the fifth inning in the first game of a double-header between Sauk Prairie and Madison Edgewood on May 10. The Eagles took the lead 7-5 on the play, but would later fall to the Crusaders in both games.
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By Todd Krysiak and Brady Ambrose / Capital Newspapers
The Sauk Prairie baseball team played highly-touted Madison Edgewood tough in a back-and-forth game May 10 before eventually falling to the Crusaders 10-7 in the first game of the double-header.
The Eagles followed the close game by getting blown out in their second game of the day against Madison Edgewood when the Crusaders scored 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning.
While the two losses impacted the Eagles' overall record, the games were overshadowed by the team's win over conference-leading Reedsburg May 9, keeping the Eagles in the hunt for a conference title.
The first game of the double-header featured four lead changes and the Eagles held a 7-5 advantage after five innings, but allowed the Crusaders to score three runs on a pair of errors. That was all Madison Edgewood would need to get the victory, though they added two insurance runs in the seventh.
Brett Ballweg took the loss after allowing five hits and two earned runs. He struck out three.
The second game was all Crusaders after they posted 10 runs in the first inning and cruised to an 11-1 victory in a 10-run rule shortened game. The game was called after five innings.
Sauk Prairie 3, Reedsburg 2
Reedsburg's perch atop the Badger North Conference became a little less stable after the Beavers dropped a 3-2 decision to Sauk Prairie Friday, and then split a double-header with Verona Saturday.
The loss to Sauk Prairie Friday dropped the Beavers to 7-2 in the conference, still in first place, but now the Eagles, Waunakee and Mount Horeb are all breathing down their neck with 5-3 records.
Sauk got a great pitching effort from Sam Koenig on May 9, as the right-hander tossed a three-hitter against Reedsburg, who jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Jeramy Greenwood walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a passed ball.
Reedsburg starter Zach Downing held the Eagles in check through the first four innings, allowing a lone base hit to Koenig in the top of the first. But Sauk took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. Nolan Breunig led off with a single and Dustin Sliter reached base on an error on Matt Kneeland. Downing got Tony Dederich to ground out for the first out, but Koenig followed with an rbi single and Chad Pings singled as well. Shannon Udelhofen hit into a fielders choice that scored Sliter, but Koenig was caught in a rundown between third and home on the play for the second out. Downing then struck out Andy Ploetz, but not before Sauk had taken a 2-1 lead.
Tony Dederich put the Eagles up 3-1 in the top of the seventh as the left-fielder was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, and later scored on an rbi single by Udelhofen.
The Beavers put a rally together in the bottom of the seventh. Downing singled but DH Travis Schrank grounded out. Lucas Farber followed with a walk off Breunig and Mike Lennon singled. Jeramy Greenwood's fielders choice scored Downing, but was also the second out of the inning for Reedsburg. After Mike Huber drew a walk, Koening got Dillon Berg to fly out to left to give the Eagles the 3-2 win.
Sauk Prairie 7, DeForest 6
The Eagles capped back-to-back wins against DeForest with a 7-6 victory at home May 8.
Sauk Prairie took the lead early, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning and maintained momentum throughout the game, scoring runs each time DeForest tried to answer.
Ballweg took the win, pitching 2 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs. He struck out two.
Sauk Prairie 6, DeForest 2
The Eagles got on the board early and often and held off DeForest for a 6-2 road victory May 6.
Eagle pitcher Joel Wipperfurth earned the win.