By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

APPLETON, WI – Starting off the year with a disappointing 3-4 record nobody would have though the Kimberly Papermakers would be playing for the state championship, but after the 15-1 drubbing they handed Wilmot today, the Papermakers will face off with Sun Prairie on Thursday at 6:00 pm for the Division 1 state title.

The Papermakers have slowly turned their season around winning 18 of their last 21 games and their bats are much of the reason for their improved play. They’ve scored 42 runs in five playoff games and have lit up the Fox Cities Stadium scoreboard for 25 runs in two games here in Appleton.

Kimberly unloaded for 15 runs on Wilmot in their Semi-Final contest. With a healthy Scott Schreiber on the mound and the hot bats the Papermakers are showing off, Wilmot faced a hefty uphill battle from the get go.

Mason Schnese led the Papermaker offense with four hits, including a home run, in five at bats driving in two runs and scoring three times. Travis Vander Hyden had a 3-for-5 day with three RBI and a run scored while Nate Thyssen also drove in three on two hits and scored twice.

Scott Schreiber was dominant on the mound for Kimberly working six innings and striking out five of his last seven batters faced.

The hot Papermaker bats will look to keep Sun Prairie from winning their third straight state title on Thursday at 6:00 pm at Fox Cities Stadium.