The Pierz Lakers finished off their regular season with a hard-fought 4-2 win over the St. Mathias Devils on Sunday in St. Mathias. The victory gave the Lakers a 10-1 record and they win the pennant by a full game over the Pierz Brewers and Opole Bears, who both finished 9-2.
The Lakers started the game with a lead-off double to left from Chase Becker, who then tagged up and advanced to 3rd on a fly out by Noah Cekalla. Preston Rocheleau then drove in Becker with a sacrifice fly to center fielder Hunter Wicklund to make it 1-0.
It remained 1-0 until the top of the 6th when Ryan Chmielewski singled with 1 out, followed by a single from Carter Petron. Ryan Diers then doubled to right to bring in Chmielewski and put Pierz ahead 2-0.
In the bottom of the 6th, the Devils got a lead-off single against new reliever Chase Becker from Bryce Flanagan, then a double from Konnor Wicklund and St. Mathias had men at 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Chase Becker then got a strikeout of Alex Guggisberg, but then hit Kyle Welle with a pitch to load the bases with 1 out. Elijah Kossan popped out to right fielder Carter Petron for the 2nd out, then Becker fanned Nate Eschenbacher to leave the bases full.
The Devils did get on the board in the bottom of the 7th when Crew Dahlheimer led off with a single, then Hunter Wicklund walked. The Lakers then brought in Noah Cekalla to relieve Chase Becker on the mound. Cekalla struck out Josh Kossan, then Bryce Flanagan singled to drive in Crew Dahlheimer and make it 2-1. Hunter Wicklund went to 3rd and Flanagan moved to 2nd on the throw home, giving the Devils the go-ahead run at 2nd with 1 out. The Devils got the tying run home on a squeeze bunt by Konnor Wicklund that scored Hunter Wicklund to make it 2-2. After Cekalla walked Alex Guggisberg, he struck out Kyle Welle to end the 7th with the game tied at 2-2.
Both teams went down in order in the 8th, setting the stage for the 9th.
With the game tied at 2-2 after 8 innings, Ryan Diers led off the 9th with a single,. Mitch Woitalla came into the game as a pinch-runner for Diers and advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch. Kamden Happke sacrificed Woitalla to 3rd. Kolten Happke then squeezed in Woitalla with a bunt and reached safely on a throwing error to give the Lakers a 3-2 lead. After an infield pop out, Noah Cekalla cracked a double to left and Happke scored from 1st to make it a 4-2.
In the bottom of the 9th, Noah Cekalla got Hunter Wicklund to fly out to left, then he struck out Josh Kossan and finished the game with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Dale Cooper to lock up the Lakers 4-2 win.
Pierz Lakers 4 9 0 – 4
St. Mathias 2 6 1 – 2
WP: Noah Cekalla 3.0IP 0 runs 1 hit 7k 1bb
Preston Rocheleau 5.0IP 0 runs 2 hits 10k 3bb
Chase Becker 1.0IP 2 runs 3 hits 2k 1bb 1hp
LP: Bryce Flanagan 8.2IP 4 runs 9 hits 4k 2bb 1hp
Alex Guggisberg 0.1IP 0 runs 0 hits 0k 0bb
Lakers:
Chase Becker 2-5 2B, run
Noah Cekalla 1-5 2B, rbi
– Dan Rocheleau 0-0
Preston Rocheleau 0-4 sac fly, rbi
Brady Petron 0-3 bb
Ryan Chmielewski 2-4 run
Carter Petron 2-3 sac, sb
Ryan Diers 2-4 2B, rbi
– Mitch Woitalla 0-0 run
Kamden Happke 0-2 sac, hp, sb
Kolten Happke 0-2 sac, bb, rbi, run
Devils:
Hunter Wicklund 0-4 bb, run
Josh Kossan 0-5
Bryce Flanagan 2-3 bb, rbi
– Kyper DeRosier 0-0
– Dale Cooper 0-1
Konnor Wicklund 2-3 2B, rbi
Alex Guggisberg 0-3 bb
Kyle Welle 0-1 2bb, hp, sb
Elijah Kossan 0-3
Nate Eschenbacher 0-3
– Collin Barnum 0-1
Crew Dahlheimer 2-4 run