The Randall Cubs rallied from a 5-3 deficit after 6 innings by scoring 3 in the 7th and 1 in the 9th to beat the Opole Bears 7-5 and move within 1 game of a State Tournament berth out of Region 9C.
Opole grabbed an early lead with a 3-run bottom of the 2nd when Keaton Gustin walked and Mavrick Novitski singled. After a wild pitch, an Alex Lange groundout drove home Gustin to make it 1-0. Tate Lange then smashed a 2-run Homer to left giving the Bears a 3-0 lead after 2 innings.
In the top of the 3rd, Randall got going with an Alex Gwost bunt single and a Nate Benning single to center. Zach Gwost then lined a double to left, scoring Alex Gwost to make it 3-1. Matt Otremba then dropped an rbi single into left field, scoring Benning and it was 3-2. Rick Drew then grounded into a double play, but Zach Gwost scored on the play and the Cubs had tied things up at 3-3.
Opole quickly regained the lead in the bottom of the 3rd when Masyn Patrick was hit by a pitch and Brodi Huls singled. After Nate Benning picked up a strikeout, a wild pitched scored Patrick. A Mavrick Novitski fielders choice then brought home Brodi Huls to give Opole a 5-3 lead after 3 innings.
The 4th through 6th innings passed quickly and Opole still led 5-3 going to the 7th. Adam Nibaur opened the top of the 7th with a single for the Cubs, then Alec Zack was hit by a pitch from Opole starter Sam Butler. A wild pitch moved Nibaur to 3rd and Zack to 2nd. Sam Butler got Alex Gwost to ground out to short with the runners staying at 2nd and 3rd. Nate Benning then hit a pop up that was misplayed for an error, allowing Adam Nibaur to score and it was 5-4. Zach Gwost then singled to right and that brought in Alec Zack with the tying run to make it 5-5. Matt Otremba then put the Cubs ahead with a sacrifice fly that scored Nate Benning and Randall had taken a 6-5 lead.
In the bottom of the 7th, Randall starter Nate Benning hit Masyn Patrick with a pitch with 2 outs, then got Brodi Huls to ground out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 8th, Mavrick Novitski and Alex Lange singled with 2 outs, but Benning fanned Tate Lange to keep Randall in front 6-5.
In the top of the 9th, Zach Gwost led off with a single, then 2 outs later, Brett Strack singled to move Gwost to 2nd. Braxten Santala then sent an rbi single into right field, scoring Zach Gwost to give Randall a 7-5 lead.
In the bottom of the 9th, Nate Benning struck out pinch-hitter Dierks Opatz, then gave up a single to Drew Lange. Benning then got Masyn Patrick to ground out to 1st baseman Rick Drew for the 2nd out and then ended the game with a Brodi Huls ground out to 2nd baseman Braxten Santala to complete the Cubs 7-5 victory.
Randall will now face the Pierz Brewers in a State Qualifying game on Sunday at 4:00 pm in Pierz.
The Opole Bears will play an elimination game on Sunday at 1:00 pm in Pierz against the Royalton Riverdogs.
Randall 7 13 1 – 7
Opole 5 7 3 – 5
WP: Nate Benning 9.0IP 5 runs 7 hits 15k 2bb 3hp
LP: Sam Butler 6.2IP 6 runs 9 hits 5k 1bb 2hp
Tate Lange 2.1IP 1 run 4 hits 1k 1bb
Cubs:
Alex Gwost 2-4 bb, run
Nate Benning 1-5 2 runs
Zach Gwost 3-4 2B, hp, 2 rbi, 2 runs
Matt Otremba 1-4 sac fly, 2 rbi
Rick Drew 1-5
Brett Strack 1-4 bb
Braxten Santala 2-5 rbi
Adam Nibaur 1-5 run
Alec Zack 1-3 hp, run
Bears:
Masyn Patrick 0-2 3hp, run
Brodi Huls 1-5 run
Luke Bieniek 1-4
Keaton Gustin 0-2 2bb, run
Mavrick Novitski 2-4 rbi
Alex Lange 1-4 rbi, run
Tate Lange 1-4 2B, 2 rbi, run
Jordan Schmitz 0-2
– Chris Ebnet 0-1
– Dierks Opatz 0-1
Drew Lange 1-4