Prep Baseball Report

WIAA State Finals: Day Three Recaps


By: Josh Fields
Area Scout

No. 2 Oak Creek vs No. 3 Sun Prairie East

The Sun Prairie East Cardinals would strike first in top of the first as INF Drew Kavanaugh (2024; Wisconsin-Eau Claire football commit) would drive in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly. The Cardinals would add one more run in the frame bringing the score to 2-0 after the top half of the inning.

Leadoff hitter OF Cade Palkowski (2024; Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit) would cut into the lead with a leadoff home run.

Both offenses would remain quiet until the fourth as Payten Jibben (2024; Illinois-Chicago commit) would tie it up on a fielders choice bringing the score to 2-2.

Later on in the fifth, Jibben would give the Knights the lead with a two run home run.

The Cardinals would answer back, regaining the lead on RBI base hits by Kavanaugh and INF Van Vogler (2026)

The Cardinals would continue to add in the seventh as Gavin Meece (2025) and Cam Glusick (2027) would add two more runs.

Isaac Wendler (2025) would add to the lead once again, bringing the lead up to seven runs in the seventh inning.

LHP Joey Tramboli (2026) would come into toss the final two frames as the Cardinals defeated the Knights.


No. 1 De Pere vs No. 5 Westosha Central

Top seeded De Pere took on Westosha Central in game one of the Division one semifinals. The Redbirds were able to strike first as OF Easton Arendt (2024; Winona State commit) got the offense started early driving in two runs with a two RBI triple that reached the wall down the right field line as De Pere took an early 2-0 lead through one inning.

The Falcons were able to answer back quickly as DH Max Nottingham (2025) drove in a run to cut the lead to one in the top of the second.

The score would remain the same until the fourth inning as INF/RHP Axel Donaldson (2024; Madison JC commit) would drive in a run giving the Redbirds a two run lead.

Later in the fourth INF Landon Raygo (2024; Bryant & Stratton JC commit) would extend the lead on an RBI single.

The Redbirds would go onto score four runs in the sixth inning as OF Mason Sequin (2025) would drive in the first run of the inning.

Later in the inning INF Javin Gauthier (2024; Vaparaiso commit) would plate two runs on a bunt single as the Redbirds would extend their lead to seven runs.

Donaldson and RHP Devin Weber (2024) would combine to complete the game with Donaldson going 6.2 innings and Weber coming into strike out the last batter of the game and punch their ticket to the state final.


No. 1 Mosinee vs No. 4 La Crosse Logan

Top seeded Mosinee scores eight runs enroute to an 8-1 victory over La Crosse Logan.

La Crosse Logan scored the first run of the game as Johnny Leaver (2024) drew a leadoff walk before finding his way around the bases before stealing home to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead through the first inning.

Mosinee would answer back in the bottom of the second as Benjamin Schlei (2024) would drive in a run on an RBI single to center field.

Keagan Jirschele (2024; South Dakota State commit) would give the Indians the lead with a two RBI single to center field. Later on Gavin Obremski (2024; Rock Valley JC commit) would drive in another run on a fielders choice giving the Indians a three run lead.

Mosinee would score again in the bottom of the third on a two RBI single from Schlei extending the lead to five.

The Indians would score again in the bottom of the fourth on a Obremski RBI single to center field.

Schlei would continue his day at the plate in the fifth, picking up his third hit of the day on an RBI double to center field, picking up his fourth RBI of the day as well.

Garret Shupe (2024; North Dakota State commit) would get the start on the mound going 5.2 striking out nine batters allowing an unearned run in his start. Zachery Nechuta would finish up the game tossing the final 1.1 innings in relief.


No. 3 Edgewood vs No. 2 Kettle Moraine Lutheran

Edgewood defeated Kettle Moraine Lutheran 4-3 in a close matchup.

Henry Bishop (2024, DePauw commit) got the start for the Crusaders on the mound and cruised through six complete innings allowing three runs and striking out four batters. The right-hander sat 83-85 mph throughout his outing, went to a 69-70 mph breaking ball as his go-to offspeed pitch.

After both teams went scoreless through the first, Bishop hit an RBI double to the warning track in center to give the Crusaders the lead.

In the top of the third Bennett Cagle (2025) added to their lead with a solo home run over the left field wall extending their lead to two runs.

Kettle Moraine Lutheran would answer back in the bottom of the frame scoring on an error in the infield cutting the lead to one, the Chargers would tie the game up in the bottom of fourth on a RBI single from Carson Rau (2024) to tie the game up.

The Crusaders would take back the lead in the top of the fifth as Carson Jesberger (2025) would draw a leadoff walk before advancing to third on a Jack Halloran (2025) single to center field. Jesberger would score on a Bennett Cagle sacrifice fly to center field giving the crusaders a one run lead heading into the sixth.

Edgewood would add to their lead once again in the top of the sixth on a Davis Halbeib (2025) RBI single.

The Chargers would cut the lead down to one in the bottom of the sixth on a Rau sacrifice fly to the left fielder.

Steffen Mello would come on in relief and toss the final inning, retiring the first two batters, before the next two runners would reach base. Mello would induce a ground ball the very next batter to secure the win for the Crusaders.

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