Appleton East baseball drops opener at Fond du Lac

AppletonSportsPage.com

FOND DU LAC – Gavin Hall had a sacrifice fly to score Conner Klapperich with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning as Fond du Lac outlasted Appleton East 3-2 in the Fox Valley Association and regular-season baseball opener for both teams on Monday at Fond du Lac High School.

Fond du Lac led 2-1 heading into the seventh when East was able to tie the game as Cade Prestigiacomo smacked a two-out RBI double to plate Isayah Weber with the tying run.

The Cardinals quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, and after a strikeout, Hall delivered the sac fly to win it.

East’s first run came on a sacrifice fly by Daniel Dieck in the top of the first inning.

Matthew Bixler struck out three in six innings of work on the mound for East. T.J. Parker suffered the loss.

Both teams return to action Tuesday with Fond du Lac hosting Kaukauna and Appleton East traveling to Kimberly for FVA contests. Both games start at 4:30 p.m.

Cardinals 3, Patriots 2
Appleton East   100   000   1   –   2   4   2
Fond du Lac   002   000   1   –   3   4   2
WP: Sam Ernst. LP: T.J. Parker.
SO: Matthew Bixler (6 inn.) 3, Parker (2/3 inn.) 1; Alex Demos (5 inn.) 5, S. Ernst (2 inn.) 4. BB: Bixler 4, Parker 1; Demos 2, S. Ernst 0.
Top hitters: AE, Cade Prestigiacomo 2B, RBI; Daniel Deick RBI; Alex Thompson 2B. F, Gavin Hall 1×3, 3 RBI.
Records: Appleton East 0-1 overall and Fox Valley Association; Fond du Lac 1-0 overall and Fox Valley Association.