Wildcats Win First Baseball Playoff Game

Senior Taylor Schaefer pitched his second straight complete game victory, leading the baseball team to a 5-1 victory over St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in the opening game of the Section 4 Regional in the Division 2 state tournament played Friday at USM.

Schaefer struck out eight Lancers and gave up one unearned run in the top of the fifth when USM already had a four run lead. St. John’s put two runners on base in the second, third, and sixth innings, but Schaefer was as cool as a snow cone in Ketchikan and worked his way out of each jam.

Meanwhile, the Wildcat batters made sure their starter would earn a victory.  They began by scoring in the bottom of the first. Senior Lane Stanford led off the inning with a single.  Sophomore Nishad Agrawal followed with a sharp single to left to advance Stanford to third.  Junior Josh Baker grounded into a double play that allowed Stanford to score and give USM an early one-run lead.

The Wildcats added two runs in the third. Once again Stanford led off with a single. He stole second and advanced to third on a ground out.  With two out junior Tommy Pennington doubled to left, driving in Stanford.  Junior Nathan Burke then drilled a hard ground ball through the infield and into left to score Pennington who was running on the play.

USM scored again in the bottom of the fourth when senior Jack Minahan walked with one out.  Minahan’s courtesy runner, sophomore Joey Judge, stole second and scored when junior Patrick Lubar singled to right.

The Lancers took advantage of USM miscues to score their lone run.  With two out senior DJ Mlachnik reached on an error. Junior Ryan Seidl singled to send Mlachnik to third, and Mlachnik scooted home on a fielding error on the play.

The Wildcats score their final run in the bottom of the fifth.  Baker was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  He took second on a wild pitch and with one out he advanced to third on another wild pitch.  After Burke walked, sophomore Billy Lawton doubled off the left field wall to score Baker and make the score 5-1.

In the game Mlachnik started for St. John’s and took the loss.  Seidl went 2 for 4 for the Lancers.  Stanford was 3 for 4 for the Wildcats.  Pennington was 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI for USM.

The loss ended St. John’s season.  The Lancers had a 5-15 record.  USM advances to the next round of the REgionals with a 13-12 record.  The Wildcats face Kettle Moraine Lutheran in a 4:30 p.m. game Tuesday at Kettle Moraine Lutheran.