By Spencer Flaten

APPLETON, WI- Sun Prairie made history Thursday evening, becoming the first Division 1 school in WIAA history to win three consecutive state championships.

The Cardinals squared off with Kimberly in the title game, played under the lights of Fox Cities Stadium for the first time since 2011.

The game was expected to be a tight affair. The two teams split a doubleheader earlier in the season, and both looked good throughout the playoffs.

Sun Prairie drew first blood in the first inning via a fielding error by Kimberly first baseman Scott Schreiber. The Cardinals would go on to load the bases, but Kimberly starter Ethan Taggert dug deep to come up with a huge strikeout to get out of the jam.

Kimberly would take the lead in the fourth, however. Ben Carew ripped an RBI double to score Griffin Hawley, and Schreiber followed up with an RBI single to make it 2-1 in favor of the Papermakers.

In the fifth, Sun Prairie outfielder Conner Funnell would continue his phenomenal day with an RBI single to draw the two teams level again. With runners on second and third, Hawley entered the game in relief and struck out opposing pitcher Ryan Curran to keep the game tied.

Kimberly wasn’t able to keep the Sun Prairie offense at bay for long though. In the 6^th, the Cardinals stormed back to score 3 runs, highlighted by another Funnell RBI single. The 5-2 lead would be enough, as Curran slammed the door in the 7^th to clinch the comeback win and state championship.

Curran scattered 5 hits over his complete game effort, striking out one and walking two. Funnell finished the day 4-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Schreiber went 1-for-3 for Kimberly.

The Cardinals finished the season with a 27-5 record, while Kimberly went 21-8.