Wildcats split with I/G, Mel-Min
Second baseman Beau Trapp threw to first base for an out during Blair-Taylor’s game against Independence/Gilmanton last week Tuesday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
Preston Solberg of Independence/Gilmanton took a big swing at a pitch during their game against Blair-Taylor last week Tuesday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Blair-Taylor baseball team struggled offensively as the team split a pair of Dairyland Conference games.
The team’s win came last week Tuesday, a 3-1 victory over Independence/Gilmanton. On Friday, B-T scored in the top of the seventh to tie its game against Melrose-Mindoro, but the Mustangs won the game in the bottom half of the inning.
B-T is still leading the Dairyland Conference-Small Division with an 8-3 record as the team sits at 9-5-1 overall. The Wildcats are set to play a couple of non-conference games this week as the team hosts Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau on Tuesday and will play in Arcadia on Thursday. The Wildcats are scheduled to play at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran this coming Monday.
B-T 3 I/G 1
B-T scored the first three runs in a game in which the teams combined for just seven hits.
A single by Tavian Shramek in the bottom of the first was followed by two errors, allowing the B-T senior to score the first run of the game. Ty Tranberg added an RBI single in the second and Travis Pettis smacked a two-out RBI double in the fifth.
I/G’s only run came in the sixth when Eric Lopez tripled and scored on an error. The Indees would only get one baserunner on the rest of the game and he was erased by a game-ending double play in the top of the seventh.
Shramek picked up the win for B-T, striking out 14 in 6.1 innings, while allowing three hits, two walks and two hit batters. Brady Thompson only faced one batter in the seventh, getting a groundout for a double play.
Chase Back got the start and took the loss for I/G, he struck out five and walked three while allowing two hits, Payton Hovey finished the game, striking out four with two hits and one walk allowed.
Seven different players had one hit in the game; B-T had four different players get hits and I/G had three.
Mel-Min 5 B-T 4
After B-T tied the game in the top of the seventh, Mel-Min walked off in the bottom half of the inning.
An RBI single by Payton Kelly tied the game for B-T in the top of the seventh. The Wildcats got the first out in the bottom of the seventh, but Jayce Stetzer walked before Zay Kleinsmith ripped a double to bring Stetzer home and win the game.
B-T was playing from behind from the start as the Mustangs scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
The comeback began with three runs in the top of the fourth. Kelly scored on a balk before Shramek doubled in two, making the score 4-3. That’s where it stood until the final frame.
Brady Thompson took the loss, pitching a complete game with six strikeouts while allowing seven hits and two walks.
Shramek had half of B-T’s four hits.
