Norse winning streak snapped, team opens WIAA play with win

The Whitehall baseball team’s winning streak came to an end at 10 last week, but it opened Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament action with a win.

The loss came in Whitehall’s final regular season came on Tuesday as the team struggled offensively, losing 5-0 to Osseo-Fairchild, the Dairyland Conference Large Division champions. But Whitehall has a chance to start another winning streak as it began WIAA play Friday with a 3-0 win over Neillsville/Granton in Division Four.

Whitehall is the eighth seed and took on top seed Westby on Monday. The game was originally scheduled to be played on Tuesday, but was moved up a day due to concerns about the weather. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the contest between (5) Bangor and (4) Viroqua on Wednesday. 

The sectional is set to take place in Osseo next Tuesday. The winner of Whitehall’s bracket will play at 10 a.m. and the sectional final is set for 4 p.m. the same day. 

O-F 5 Whitehall 0

Whitehall struggled offensively as its 10-game winning streak was snapped.

The Norse managed just three hits in the game and never got a runner past second base. The team’s best chance to score came in the top of the fourth when Alex Sartor and Riley Herman both had hits, but Sartor was caught stealing and Herman was stranded. 

The Thunder broke the scoreless tie with a two-run double by Drew Paulus in the bottom of the fourth. They added another run in the fifth and two in the sixth.

Luke Matejka got the start for Whitehall, he pitched the first three innings, striking out two and allowing two hits. Mason Pientok relieved him and allowed one hit and one walk, while striking out three in two innings. Herman finished the game, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out two.

Whitehall 3 N/G 0

Matejka was dealing on the mound and the Norse got just enough run support for the regional win.

The Whitehall ace was in control, striking out four while allowing just one walk and six hits in the complete game shutout win. 

Whitehall’s first run came in the third inning when Alex Sartor singled, stole second and scored on an error. 

The lead remained 1-0 until Whitehall’s final at-bat when the team scored two runs. Herman was hit by a pitch to start the sixth and he scored on a single by Deacon Steig. Brett Schorbahn added an RBI double later in the inning to put Whitehall ahead 3-0.

The Norse had five hits in the game as Sartor and Steig both had two.