WIAA Semifinals: Kimberly Needs Extras To Hold Off River Falls

June 16, 2015

By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Supervisor – Wisconsin/Illinois

APPLETON, WI – It took nine nail biting innings, but the Kimberly Papermakers are back in the state title game for the second straight year. Kimberly held off a gritty River Falls team over nine innings capturing a 6-4 semifinal win.

Neither team scored until the sixth as both Kimberly’s Ethan Taggert and River Falls Lucas Luedtke kept throwing up zeros. Kimberly struck first in the sixth when Steven Jacobson’s sac fly to center scored Brice Swick, giving the Papermakers a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats quickly responded as they did all game scoring one of their own in the sixth on a Brian Grove double. Grove finished the day 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and a run scored.

Both teams went quietly in the seventh which took us to extras. Kimberly put up a two spot thanks to Ben Carew and Jacobson as they both came through with RBI singles, giving the Papermakers what looked like a safe two run lead.

Again, River Falls would answer. Three straight hits from the top of the Wildcat lineup led to two runs before the Papermakers even knew what happened. Grove and Jon Krueger had the RBI hits.

If two wasn’t enough, Kimberly gave themselves a three run advantage in the ninth. Griffin Hawley, Brice Swick and Ben Carew each drove in a run in the inning, proving to be too much for River Falls.

The Wildcats made it exciting in the bottom half scoring one and getting the tying run to second base but Tanner Haessly punched out Krueger for the win and a spot back in the championship game.

Kimberly will take on the winner of Oconomowoc and Janesville Craig in the state championship game.

WIAA Semifinals: Kimberly Needs Extras To Hold Off River Falls

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