In an outstanding pitching battle on Sunday, the Freeport Black Sox edged the St. Mathias Devils 1-0 as Kaden Toutges pitched into the 8th inning, striking out 12 and scattering just 3 hits before turning things over to Andrew Kerzmann for an inning and then Carter Neuenschwander got the final out to earn the Save. Bryce Flanagan threw all 8 innings for the Devils, allowing 1 run on 7 hits with 7 strikeouts. The Black Sox scored the games only run in the bottom of the 4th on a fielders choice ground out by Ben Millard, with Jake Braegelmann scoring on an error on the play. The game was played at Blattner Field in Avon due to wet field conditions at Black Sox Park in Freeport.
St. Mathias actually had a chance to score in the top of the 1st against Kaden Toutges when he hit Josh Kossan with a pitch to start the game, then walked Bryce Flanagan with 2 outs. Alex Guggisberg then singled to center, but Black Sox center fielder Ryan Liebrenz threw out Kossan at the plate to end the inning.
Freeport’s first chance to score developed in the bottom of the 2nd when Bryce Flanagan opened the inning by walking both Jake Braegelmann and Carter Neuenschwander. Ben Millard then bunted for a single to load the bases with no outs. Flanagan then got Iver Papke to hit a line drive to left fielder Kyle Welle, who fired to 3rd in time to double off Braegelmann. Flanagan then got Mason Toutges to fly out to center fielder Hunter Wicklund to end the inning and the Sox bases-loaded, no out threat came up empty.
In the bottom of the 4th, Jake Braegelmann led off with a walk, followed by a single from Carter Neuenschwander. Ben Millard then hit a ground ball to shortstop Josh Kossan for a force out at 2nd but the throw to 1st to try and complete the double play from 2nd was thrown away for an error, allowing Braegelmann to score and give Freeport a 1-0 lead.
St. Mathias put 2 men on base in the top of the 5th when Elijah Kossan walked with 1 out and Connor Knettel was hit by a pitch with 2 outs. Kaden Toutges got out of the mini-jam with a strikeout of Josh Kossan.
Freeport put men at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in the bottom of the 5th on singles from Ryan Liebrenz and Bryan Benson and a wild pitch, but Bryce Flanagan got Matt Johnson to line into a double play to Elijah Kossan at 2nd to end the inning.
The Devils had another good threat in the top of the 6th when Konnor Wicklund walked with 1 out, followed by a single from Bryce Flanagan and another single from Alex Guggisberg to load the bases with 1 out. Kaden Toutges then struck out Kyle Welle and and got Elijah Kossan to ground out to 2nd baseman Dominic Ritter to end the threat.
With 2 outs in the top of the 8th, Kaden Toutges was relieved by Andrew Kerzmann on the mound for Freeport and Kerzmann got Alex Guggisberg to ground out to 1st baseman Iver Papke to end the inning.
After Bryce Flanagan retired the Black Sox in order in the bottom of the 8th, the Devils came up in the 9th with one more chance . Andrew Kerzmann got Kyle Welle to pop out to 1st baseman Iver Papke, then struck out Elijah Kossan for the 2nd out. Freeport then brought in Carter Neuenschwander to relieve Kerzmann and and Neuenschwander ended the game with a strikeout of Connor Knettel to end the ballgame.
St. Mathias 0 3 1 – 0
Freeport 1 6 0 – 1
WP: Kaden Toutges 7.2IP 0 runs 3 hits 12k 3bb 3hp
Andrew Kerzmann 1.0IP 0 runs 0 hits 1k 0bb
SV: Carter Neuenschwander 0.1IP 0 runs 0 hits 1k 0bb
LP: Bryce Flanagan 8.0IP 1 run 6 hits 7k 3bb
Black Sox:
Ryan Liebrenz 2-4
Bryan Benson 1-4
Matt Johnson 0-4
Jake Braegelmann 0-2 2bb, run
Carter Neuenschwander 1-2 bb
Ben Millard 2-3
– Nate Winter 0-0
Iver Papke 0-3
Mason Toutges 0-3
Dominic Ritter 0-3
Devils:
Josh Kossan 0-3 hp
Hunter Wicklund 0-4
Konnor Wicklund 0-3 bb
Bryce Flanagan 1-3 bb
Alex Guggisberg 2-4
Kyle Welle 0-4
Elijah Kossan 0-3 bb
Connor Knettel 0-3 hp
Nate Eschenbacher 0-1 sac, bb, hp