Appleton Double Days explode in seventh inning to rout Neenah in Class AAA Legion Baseball Regional elimination game

AppletonSportsPage.com

APPLETON – The Appleton Double Days kept its season alive in bizarre fashion on Thursday at the Class AAA American Legion Baseball Regional at Don Hawkins Field.

After surrendering a four-run lead, the Double Days scored 13 runs in the top of the seventh inning and defeated Neenah 17-4 in an elimination game Thursday afternoon.

The Double Days (13-3) will play host Appleton Post 38 (9-12) at 3 p.m. Friday in another elimination game. The winner will play again at 8 p.m. against the loser of the 5:30 p.m. winners’ bracket game between Manitowoc and Kaukauna.

The Double Days broke open a scoreless game with a four-run fifth inning. Cade Prestigiacomo led off with a double, A.J. Thompson followed by reaching on a fielder’s choice, and both scored on a single by Jackson Bines-Sabrowsky. Brandon Tobak later added a sacrifice fly and T.J. Parker had an RBI single to put Appleton up 4-0.

Neenah scored once in the fifth and tied the game with a three-run sixth. Two errors, a two-run double by Dustin Dorton-Clohessy, and another error led to the three runs and a tie game heading into the seventh.

Suddenly, the Double Days’ bats came alive. The first 12 batters in the inning reached base, which included eight hits, a hit batter, two errors and a walk. Dan Dieck scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch before Tobak came in on an error to put Appleton up 6-4.

Parker had another RBI single, Prestigiacomo cleared the bases with a three-run double, Dieck had an RBI single, Jack Schlueter knocked in a run with a double, and Parker and Prestigiacomo each picked up another RBI each with singles.

In all, Appleton batted around twice, finishing the inning with 13 runs and 11 of its 20 hits.

Seven Appleton players finished with at least two hits, with Prestigiacomo, Parker and Schlueter each tallying three. Prestigiacomo ended up with four RBI and Parker three.

Prestigiacomo also picked up the pitching win, throwing two scoreless innings in relief of Schlueter with three strikeouts and no hits or walks.

Neenah was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament and finishes the season with a 3-20 record.

Double Days 17, Neenah 3
Appleton   000   040   (13)   –   17   20   3
Neenah   000   013   0   –   4   5   3
WP: Cade Prestigiacomo. LP: Isaac Verbuggen.
SO: Jack Schlueter (5 inn.) 5, Prestigiacomo (2 inn.) 3; Verbruggen (6 inn.) 4, Zachary Waite (1 inn.) 0. BB: Schlueter 2, Prestigiacomo 0; Verbruggen 3, Waite 0.
Top hitters: A, Dawsen Burrington 2×5; Prestigiacomo 3×5, 2 2Bs, 2 runs, 4 RBI; A.J. Thompson 2 runs; Jackson Bines-Sabrowsky 2 runs, 2 RBI; Dan Dieck 2×5, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Brandon Tobak 2×4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Schlueter 3×3, 2B, 3 runs, RBI; Mac Kramer 2×4, RBI; T.J. Parker 3×5, 2B, 2 runs, 3 RBI. N, Dustin Dorton-Clohessy 2B, 2 RBI; Waite 3B.
Records: Appleton 13-3; Neenah 3-20.

Class AAA American Legion Baseball Regional
July 23-26, at Don Hawkins Field, Appleton
Wednesday, July 24
Game 1: Kaukauna 8, Appleton Double Days 2
Game 2: Manitowoc 6, Neenah 2
Game 3: Appleton Post 38 11, Sheboygan 2
Thursday, July 25
Game 4: Appleton Double Days 17, Neenah 4
Game 5: Kaukauna 11, Sheboygan 1
Game 6: Manitowoc 7, Appleton Post 38 1
Friday, July 26
Game 7: Appleton Double Days vs. Appleton Post 38, 3 p.m.
Game 8: Kaukauna vs. Manitowoc, 5:30 p.m.
Game 9: Winner Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 27
Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, 5:30 p.m.
Game 11: Winner Game 10 vs. Loser Game 10 if Loser of Game 10 suffered first loss of tournament, 8 p.m.