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Team Wisconsin Junior Future Games: Game Recaps

July 25, 2024
By: Josh Fields & Maddox Durst
Wisconsin Staff

DAY FOUR: TEAM WISCONSIN VS TEAM KANSAS

Team Wisconsin was tasked with taking on the No. 1 seed in Team Kansas next, marking the first time the group from the Badger State made it to the Quarterfinals.

RHP Thomas Check (La Crosse Logan, 2028) was the headliner, tossing the first five innings. The right-hander struck out nine batters against a stingy lineup—using a low-80s FB and a sharp BB to miss barrels and garner swings and misses from his opponent.

OF Bryson Hoeffler (Muskego, 2028) added two more hits and an RBI to continue his stellar weekend at the plate—emerging as one of the top hitters on Team Wisconsin throughout the tournament.

After losing the lead in the bottom of the fifth, Team Wisconsin was dealt another extra-inning battle to try and advance in this one. With the California rules in place, Hoeffler singled and drove in a run to give Team Wisconsin the lead. Then, OF Braxton Thiede (Jefferson, 2028) followed it up with a clutch triple down the line, as Hoeffler raced around the basepaths and scored to give Team Wisconsin a 6-4 advantage.

From there, RHP Andrew Wiesner (Sevastopol, 2028) forced two straight ground balls to SS Maddex Welzien (West Bend West, 2028) to end it and advance Team Wisconsin to the Semifinals of the Platinum Bracket.

Unfortunately for Team Wisconsin, weather wound up forcing a cancellation of the rest of the tournament. The team finished with a 3-0-2 record after playing a couple of innings against Team Missouri in the Semifinals—marking one of the most successful teams in the Badger State’s short history as a part of the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games competition.

Stay tuned throughout the rest of this upcoming week for post-event content.

DAY FOUR: TEAM WISCONSIN VS TEAM ALABAMA 2

In a wild back-and-forth affair, a comeback from Team Wisconsin allowed the unit to advance in bracket play—winning 10-9 in six innings of play.

Team Wisconsin racked up 11 hits in total, including six extra base hits. OF Bryson Hoeffler (Muskego, 2028) enjoyed one of the strongest days at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a pair of triples and four RBIs. Hoeffler clutched up for Team Wisconsin when it was needed most, tying the ballgame in the fifth inning after getting the scoring started early on.

UTL Max Egan (Whitefish Bay, 2028) followed closely behind, as the to-be freshman barreled two doubles, tallying an RBI and a run scored.

Team Wisconsin scored seven unanswered runs in the late innings of the game in order to complete their comeback, escaping a jam in the final frame with the help of quality defense and steady pitching from RHP Kallen Magli (DeForest, 2028).

It made history for Team Wisconsin, as the group notched the first-ever Platinum Bracket win in the state’s time at the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games.

DAY THREE: TEAM WISCONSIN VS TEAM LOUISIANA

In the third and final game of pool play, Team Wisconsin took on Team Louisiana. RHP Cooper Hall (Cedarburg, 2028) would toe the rubber for Wisconsin and twirl four shutout innings allowing a hit and a walk.

It was a low scoring affair with the pitching taking control of the game early until the top of the fifth when INF Benjamin Smet-Cooper (Westosha, 2028) would barrel a ball to center field for a triple. Smet-Cooper would score on the very next pitch on an INF Evan Harbort (Cambridge, 2028) sacrifice fly to right field giving Team Wisconsin a 1-0 lead.

RHP/INF Max Webb (Port Washington, 2028) would come on in relief and toss the final three innings allowing an earned run before inducing a fly ball to center field to finish the frame.

DAY TWO: TEAM WISCONSIN VS TEAM NEW YORK

On Friday, July 26, Team Wisconsin took the field once again to battle versus Team New York. RHP Andrew Wiesner (Sevastopol, 2028) toed the rubber to get things kicked off for the group from the Badger State—twirling three scoreless innings.

Wiesner avoided major damage despite struggling with command, missing barrels on a consistent basis to keep the score at 0-0 after three innings of play.

Team Wisconsin provided some trouble on the basepaths early on, but could not capitalize on scoring opportunities.

All was quiet until INF Cooper Hall (Cedarburg, 2028) launched a triple into the gap, showcasing his easy power in an athletic 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame. After Hall made his way around the bases, CIF/RHP Evan Harbort (Cambridge, 2028) got on the barrel and belted a double to the opposite field—breaking the scoreless tie.

Harbort worked efficiently through the first two innings of action, landing a BB for strikes while controlling his FB with ease. The right-hander ran into some trouble in the sixth inning, allowing two runs to Team New York.

While facing a deficit heading into the final frame, Team Wisconsin pulled off its second comeback of the evening with the help of INF/RHP Kallen Magli’s (DeForest, 2028) baserunning. The to-be freshman put on a delayed steal to swipe third base, forcing an errant throw with two outs to tie the game back up at 2-2.

From there, Team New York was able to get the final out of the ballgame, ending it in a tie. Magli tossed a clean inning and set up Team Wisconsin for a fourth game this weekend.

Before that though, they will take on Team Louisiana at 2:45 PM on LakePoint 14, looking to notch another victory on the weekend.

DAY ONE: TEAM WISCONSIN VS TEAM COLORADO

Team Wisconsin fought back from a 5-0 deficit scoring in four consecutive innings to defeat Team Colorado 7-5. After OF Bryson Hoeffler scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the first, C Braedon Paczocha got the offense going in the next frame on a two-RBI triple to center field to cut the deficit to two runs.

Braedon Paczocha (7/25/24)

The next at-bat C Thomas Check would drive in Paczocha on a line drive to center, cutting the deficit to one run.

Thomas Check (7/25/24)

In the bottom of the third INF Eli Hart would reach base safely on a single to right field, Hart would reach second on a passed ball and advance to third on a fielders choice. RHP/INF Benjamin Smet-Cooper would drive in a run on an RBI double to center field tying the game up at five apiece.

Benjamin Smet-Cooper (7/25/24)

In the top of the fourth the bats would come alive again as Paczocha reached base on a single to right field, the next at-bat Check would drive him in on an RBI triple. Check would score the at-bat on a passed ball bringing the lead to two.

After giving up five runs in the first inning, the Team Wisconsin pitching staff would throw six consecutive scoreless innings only allowing two hits throughout the rest of the game. RHP Maddex Welzien and LHP Braxton Thiede would toss the final five scoreless innings allowing two hits, a walk and struck out two. Paczocha would lead the team in hits and be a main run producer, with Check and Smet-Cooper also providing offense in key moments of the game.

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