Appleton Post 38 Legion baseball hammers Neenah
By Dustin Riese
AppletonSportsPage.com
APPLETON – Backed by a pair of five-run innings and a strong pitching performance from Ryan Tesch, the Appleton Post 38 American Legion baseball team took care of Neenah Post 33 13-3 on Thursday night at Don Hawkins Field.
Post 38 benefitted from sloppy play which led to a five-run first and a five-run third while Tesch did the rest as he tossed a five-inning complete game on just 75 pitches, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits to go with one walk and six strikeouts.
“It was a great team win overall,” Appleton coach Trent Whitcomb said. “Our hitting led the way for us tonight with a great pitching performance from Tesch. We like to be really aggressive on the bases and that helped us put the pressure on Neenah and grab an early lead.”
After spotting Neenah an early run off an RBI single from Jackson Crowder, Post 38 didn’t take long to respond as they were all over pitcher Blake Griesbach in the second.
Griesbach walked the leadoff hitter to start things off and the defense that let him down in this one. Three first-inning errors by the Neenah defense led to three unearned runs and put Post 38 in front for good. Michael Gwiazdon drove in the only non-error run with his single as Post 38 opened up an early 5-1 lead.
Appleton added on to that lead with an RBI fielder’s choice off the bat of Alex Brokaw in the second, but once the third inning rolled around Post 38 took the game over as another five-run broke things open. A leadoff single from Isaac Schultz certainly helps, but with two outs and two on base, Post 38 was in danger of coming away empty handed only to erupt for a massive two-out rally that saw them score five times.
Logan Hudson started that rally with a two-run single to extend the Post 38 lead to 8-1 with another Ramus single, making it 9-1. Gwiazdon closed out the five-run rally with a bases-loaded single as two more runs came in to score to put Post 38 in front 11-1.
“Our approach was simple,” Whitcomb said. “We wanted to see the pitches up in the zone and take advantage of their mistakes.”
After looking lifeless offensively for close to four innings, Neenah (1-11) suddenly started to see the ball off of Tesch as it opened the top half of the fourth with four consecutive singles, including an RBI single from Ryan Schnabl to cut Appleton’s lead to 11-2. Two batters later saw Neenah push home their final run of the night as the Hunter Hilgers fielder’s choice made it 11-3. Tesch retired the last four hitters he faced to close out his outing.
“Tesch was able to compete in the zone all night and did a great job of keeping their hitters off balance with his off-speed stuff,” Whitcomb said. “His slider was working well and their hitters couldn’t make the adjustments. He was able to get soft contact all night making the plays a lot easier for our defense.”
Looking to put the game away via the 10-run rule in the bottom half of the fifth, Post 38 didn’t waste any time as a leadoff single by Hudson, followed by a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with no outs.
Brokaw’s fielder’s choice scored one and Gwiazdon knocked in the final run, ending the game as he capped off a three-hit, four RBI night for Appleton (5-5).
Appleton Post 38 is back in action Saturday with a doubleheader at Stevens Point. The twinbill, at Bukolt Park, begins at noon.
Appleton Post 38 13, Neenah Post 33 3
Neenah 100 20 – 3 5 4
Appleton 515 02 – 13 10 1
WP: Ryan Tesch. LP: Blake Griesbach.
SO: Griesbach (2 2/3 inn.) 1, Hilgers (1 2/3 inn.) 2; Tesch 6. BB: Griesbach 4, Hilgers 1; Tesch 1.
Top hitters: N, Crowder 2×2, RBI. A, Nick Bergin 2 runs; Logan Hudson 2×4, 3 runs, 2 RBI; Brandon Schopf 2×3, 3 runs; Alex Ramus 1×2, 2 BBs, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Alex Brokaw 4 RBI, run; Michael Gwiazdon 3×4, 4 RBI; Isaac Schultz 2×3.
Records: Neenah 1-11; Appleton 5-5.