Appleton East baseball wallops Appleton North in regular-season finale

AppletonSportsPage.com

APPLETON – Appleton East had eight hits and took advantage of seven walks to defeat Appleton North 10-4 in the Fox Valley Association and regular-season baseball finale for both teams on Thursday at North High School.

The Patriots raced out to a 5-1 lead after three innings and were able to hold on as Cade Prestigiacomo tossed three shutout innings of relief to save the win for Rylan Winkler.

Prestigiacomo also had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs, and Daniel Dieck, Mason Winkler and Michael Morales all contributed two RBI in the win for Appleton East (8-15, 7-11 FVA).

Matthew Hietpas hit a two-run homer for Appleton North, which was held to four hits as it wraps up the regular season at 14-7 overall and 12-6 in the FVA.

Both teams will open WIAA postseason play with Division 1 regional semifinals on Tuesday. North will host Appleton West, while Appleton East will travel to Kaukauna.

Patriots 10, Lightning 4
Appleton East   203   005   0   –   10   8   2
Appleton North   010   300   0   –   4   4   2
WP: Rylan Winkler. LP: Ethan Wick. SV: Cade Prestigiacomo.
SO: R. Winkler (4 inn.) 1, Matthew Bixler (0 inn.) 0, Prestigiacomo (3 inn.) 4; Wick (1 inn.) 2, Logan Hudson 2 inn.) 3, Eli Vezina (2 inn.) 1, Alex Ramus (1 inn.) 1, Ryan Tesch (1 inn.) 1. BB: R. Winkler 1, Bixler 2, Prestigiacomo 2; Wick 3, Hudson 2, Vezina 1, Ramus 1, Tesch 0.
Top hitters: AE, Prestigiacomo 3×5, 2B, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Alex Thompson 2 runs; Daniel Dieck 2B, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Mason Winkler 2 RBI; Michael Morales 1×3, 2 RBI. AN, Matthew Hietpas HR, 2 RBI; Nick Bergin 2 runs; William Hoerner 2B.
Records: Appleton East 8-15, 7-11 Fox Valley Association; Appleton North 14-7, 12-6 Fox Valley Association.