The St. Wendel Saints, who should be among the favorites to grab 1 of the 2 State Tournament berths out of 9C, got their season off on the right foot with an 8-3 win at the St. Mathias Devils on Sunday in the Season Opener for both teams.
Logan Harren led off the game by taking a walk against Devils starter Bryce Flanagan, and after a strikeout of Austin Dickmann, Brandon Dickmann smashed a 2-run Homer to left and St. Wendel had an early 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Devils tied things up when Kyle Welle singled with 2 outs. After Welle stole 2nd, Hunter Wicklund lined a single to left to bring home Welle and make it 2-1. Konnor Wicklund then doubled to left to chase home Hunter Wicklund and the game was tied 2-2.
The 4th and 5th innings passed quickly before the Saints regained their lead in the top of the 6th when Jacob Worlie was hit by a pitch from Alex Guggisberg, then a sacrifice bunt from Rolando Ramos moved Worlie to 2nd with 1 out. Jacob Worlie then stole 3rd, and with Tanner Reis at the plate, Worlie stole home as well to make it a 3-2 game.
In the top of the 7th, Logan Harren was hit by a pitch with 1 out, and Harren then stole 2nd and 3rd before Austin Dickmann then walked. Austin Dickmann stole 2nd as Brandon Dickmann struck out. Logan Harren then scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2.
As the game moved to the bottom of the 7th, St. Wendel still had their starting pitcher out there, veteran right-hander Nathan Psyck, who along with Zach Cekalla, joined the Saints this offseason after playing previously with the Royalton Riverdogs. Alex Guggisberg led off the last of the 7th with a single, then Psyck fanned the next 2 hitters. Will Carlson then doubled to left, scoring Guggisberg to make it 4-3 before Psyck finished his day with a strikeout to end the 7th.
Rolando Ramos opened the top of the 8th with a walk for St. Wendel, then went to 3rd on an error. A Tanner Reis rbi single brought in Ramos to make it 5-3. A sacrifice bunt from Zack Cekalla moved Reis to 2nd, then Jake Ethen doubled to right to score Reis and it was 6-3. Ethen went to 3rd on the throw home, which allowed hispinch-runner Tyler Huls to then tag up and score on a sacrifice fly from Peter Schumer to make it 7-3. Logan Harren was then hit by a pitch and promptly stole both 2nd and 3rd. Austin Dickmann then doubled to left to plate Harren and make it 8-3.
Aiden Micholski took over from Nathan Psyck to pitch the 8th and got 2 strikeouts before allowing a walk but then ended the 8th with a ground out.
In the bottom of the 9th, Bryce Flanagan walked with 2 outs for the Devils but Micholski ended the game by getting a Kyper Derosier fly ball to center fielder Rolando Ramos to seal the 8-3 win.
St. Wendel 8 4 1 – 8
St. Mathias 3 5 3 – 3
WP: Nathan Psyck 7.0 IP 3 runs 5 hits 11k 0bb
Aiden Micholski 2.0 IP 0 runs 0 hits 2k 2bb
LP: Alex Guggisberg 3.0 IP 1 run 0 hits 2k 2bb 1hp
Bryce Flanagan 3.0 IP 2 runs 1 hit 5k 3bb
Connor Knettel 2.0 IP 5 runs 3 hits 3k 1bb 3hp
Hunter Wicklund 1.0 IP 0 runs 0 hits 1k 0bb 1hp
St. Wendel:
Logan Harren 0-1 2bb, 2hp, 3 sb, 3 runs
Austin Dickmann 1-4 2B, hp, sb, rbi
Brandon Dickmann 1-5 Hr, 2 rbi, run
Jacob Worlie 0-3 bb, hp, sb, run
Rolando Ramos 0-2 bb, hp, sac, sb, run
Tanner Reis 1-2 2bb, rbi, run
– Connor Breth 0-1
Zack Cekalla 0-4 sac, sb
Jake Ethen 1-4 2B, rbi
– Tyler Huls 0-0 run
Will Ethen 0-2
– Peter Schumer 0-1 sac fly, rbi
St. Mathias:
Kyle Welle 1-4 sb, run
Hunter Wicklund 1-3 bb, sb, rbi, run
Konnor Wicklund 2-4 rbi
Alex Guggisberg 0-4 sb, run
Tydan Guida 0-2
– Connor Knettel 0-1
– Crewe Dahlheimer 0-1
Bryce Flanagan 0-3 bb
Will Carlson 1-3 2B, rbi
Luke Zontelli 0-3
Griffin Bartholomaus 0-3
– Kyper Derosier 0-0