In a rematch of the opening game of the District 4B Tournament, the Pierz Lakers took on the Avon Lakers on Saturday in Pierz in a game that had a big prize: then final spot in the State Tournament out of District 4B. After Pierz beat Avon 5-4 in the first meeting two weekends ago in Avon, this figured to be another close game. But Lakers starter Preston Rocheleau was really on his game and proved to be too much for the Avon offense as he allowed only 1 hit over 8 shutout innings as Pierz blanked Avon 5-0 to qualify for their first Class B State Tournament after winning the Class C State Title last year.
Pierz scored 3 times in the top of the 2nd when Kolten Happke led off woth a single against Avon starter Matt Pichelmann, followed by another hit from Ryan Chmielewski. Brady Petron then grounded to shortstop Caleb Curry and Avon was able to get a force out at 2nd, leaving Pierz with runners at the corners and 1 out. After Pichelmann got David Kroger to pop up to shortstop, Chae Becker ripped an rbi double down the left field line to bring in Happke and give Pierz a 1-0 lead. Carter Petron then made it 3-0 with a line drive 2-run single to score both Brady Petron and Becker.
In the top of the 3rd, Noah Cekalla led off with a single for Pierz and was sacrificed to 2nd on a bunt by Kolten Happke. But Matt Pichelmann then got both Ryan Chmielewski and Brady Petron to fly out to center fielder Kadyn Mork to end the inning.
And then the rains came. A heavy downpour opened up and the game went into a rain delay that eventually lasted 1 hour and 11 minutes. When play resumed, Preston Rocheleau was back on the mound for Pierz and set Avon down in order on a pair if strikeouts and a fine catch in left field by David Kroger.
When Pierz came to the plate in the top of the 4th, they were facing a new pitcher as lefty Jack Hamak was now on the mound in place of Matt Pichelmann. David Kroger led off with a single and was sacrificed to 2nd by Chase Becker. Preston Rocheleau made it 4-0 with a 2-out rbi single to score Kroger.
Meanwhile, Preston Rocheleau was cruising along. In the bottom of the 4th he ran into his first hiccup when he walked Elliott Burnett and hit Caleb Curry to give Avon 2 men on base with no outs. But then a big 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Reese Gregory was followed up by a fly out to Chase Becker in ceter by Henry Schloe kept Pierz in front 4-0.
It was still 4-0 after 7 innings when Pierz added their final run in the top of the 8th when Chase Becker led off with a walk, was sacrificed to 2nd by Carter Petron, then was wild pitched to 3rd and finally, another wild pitch brought Becker home to make it 5-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th.
Preston Rocheleau still had a no-hitter going into the bottom of the 8th and got the first 2 outs quickly when Kadyn Mork popped up to 1st baseman Carter Petron and Travis Cariveau flew out to Chase Becker in center for the 2nd out. But Avon sent up pinch-hitter Nolan Bigaouette to the plate and he spoiled Rocheleau’s bid for the no-hitter with a clean single up the middle. Carter Holthaus then popped up to 3rd to end the inning and the game went to the 9th with Pierz ahead 5-0.
Pierz loaded the bases in the 9th against Jack Hamak on a walk to pinch-hitter Danny Litke, a 1-out single from Ryan Chmielewskia and another walk to Brady Petron. But Hamak got David Kroger to fly out to right fielder Henry Schloe, who then threw a perfect strike to home to nab Danny Litke at the plate for an inning-ending double play.
In the bottom of the 9th, the day was done for Preston Rocheleau, as he gave way to Noah Cekalla to close out the game. Cekalla got Ryan Janzen to pop up to 2nd, then allowed a single to Elliott Burnett, Avon’s 2nd hit of the game. Burnett stole 2nd and then tagged up and went to 3rd on a fly out by Caleb Curry for the 2nd out. Cekalla then fanned Reese Gregory for the final out in the 5-0 win for Pierz, clinching their spot in the Class B State Tournament and ending the season for Avon.
Pierz 5 12 1 – 5
Avon 0 2 0 – 0
WP: Preston Rocheleau 8.0 IP 0 runs 1 hit 5k 1bb 1hp
Noah Cekalla 1.0 IP 0 runs 1 hit 1k 0bb
LP: Matt Pichelmann 3.0 IP 3 runs 7 hits 1k 0bb
Jack Hamak 6.0 IP 2 runs 5 hits 4k 6bb
Pierz:
Carter Petron 1-3 bb, sac, 2 rbi
Preston Rocheleau 3-4 bb, rbi
Kamden Happke 0-4
– Ryan Diers 0-1
Noah Cekalla 1-4 bb
– Danny Litke 0-0
Kolten Happke 1-3 bb, sac, run
Ryan Chmielewski 2-5 sb
Brady Petron 2-4 bb, run
David Kroger 1-5 run
Chase Becker 1-2 2B, sac, bb, rbi, 2 runs
Avon:
Ryan Janzen 0-4
Elliott Burnett 1-3 bb, sb
Caleb Curry 0-3 hp
Reese Gregory 0-4
Henry Schloe 0-3
Kadyn Mork 0-3
Travis Cariveau 0-3
Jack Theisen 0-2
– Matt Pichelmann
– Jack Hamak
– Nolan Bigaouette 1-1
– Carter Wesen 0-0
Carter Holthaus 0-3