The Pierz Lakers dominated the Upsala Bluejays 26-0 in 7 innings on Saturday night at Hellie Field in Pierz, becoming the first team in the Region 9C Tournament to clinch a State Tournament spot. The Lakers pounded out an astonishing 29 hits (21 singles, 8 doubles), scoring 11 times in the 2nd and adding another 9 runs in the 5th. Every man in the batting order 1-9 had a multi-hit game, led by lead-off hitter Chase Becker, who went 5-6 with 2 doubles , driving in 4 runs and scoring 5 times. On the flip side, Lakers starting pitcher Ryan Chmielewski threw 6 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits while striking out 11. Upsala had just 4 base runners in the game, and none of those advanced off 1st base.
The Lakers plated 3 runs in the bottom of the 1st against Upsala starter Brock Cichon when Chase Becker led off with a double. Noah Cekalla then traded places with Becker, drilling a double of his own to make it 1-0. Preston Rocheleau followed with an rbi single to score Cekalla and make it 2-0. After a sacrifice bunt from Brady Petron, Ryan Chmielewski doubled to left to score Rocheleau and make it 3-0.
The Lakers then erupted for 11 runs in the bottom of the 2nd. Kamden Happke led off with a double, and was driven in on a single from Kolten Happke to make it 4-0. After a force out at 2nd, Chase Becker stole 2nd and scored on a Noah Cekalla single to center to make it 5-0. Preston Rocheleau then hit into a force play at 2nd for the 2nd out of the inning. Brady Petron then singled, followed by a 2-run single from Ryan Chmielewski that scored both Rocheleau and Petron to make it 7-0. Carter Petron then singled, and Ryan Diers singled past 1st to drive on Ryan Chmielewski to make it 8-0. Upsala then brought in Bryce Binek to pitch for Brock Cichon. Kamden Happke then singled to left field, scoring Carter Petron to make it 9-0. Kolten Happke then added an rbi single to drive in Ryan Diers to make it 10-0. Chase Becker then singled to load the bases with 2 outs and Noah Cekalla singled to left to score both Kolten and Kamden Happke to make it 12-0. Preston Rocheleau kept it going with an rbi single to right that drove in Chase Becker and Noah Cekalla to make it 14-0 before Brady Petron grounded out to 1st baseman Jeremy Mugg to finally end the inning. The Lakers had strung together 9 straight 2-out hits and had a total of 12 hits in the inning.
After Matt Swanson had singled in the 1sr inning, Brock Cichon singled with 1 out in the 3rd for Upsala’s 2nd hit off Ryan Chmielewski, but the Lakers then turned a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 3rd, Carter Petron and Ryan Diers singled with 1 out, then Kamden Happke drove in Petron with a fielders choice grounder to make it 15-0 at the end of 3 innings.
Chase Becker led off the bottom of the 4th with a double, and 1 out later, an rbi single by Preston Rocheleau scored Becker to make it 16-0. Brady Petron then singled to left, followed by fly out to left for the 2nd out. Carter Petron then singled to right to drive in Rocheleau to put Pierz ahead 17-0 at the end of 4.
Jack Primus picked up Upsala’s 3rd hit of the game with a 1-out single in the top of the 5th but Ryan Chmielewski got a strikeout of Travis Barthel and Jaxon Bartkowicz ground out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 5th, Kamden Happke led off with a single, followed by Kolten Happke reaching on an error, putting men on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Chase Becker then drilled a 2-run single to score both Happke boys to make it 19-0. Noah Cekalla followed with a walk, then Preston Rocheleau doubled to drive in Chase Becker to make it 20-0. Ryan Chmielewski then doubled with 1 out, driving in both Noah Cekalla and Preston Rocheleau to make it 22-0. Carter Petron then singled, then pinch-hitter David Kroger walked with 2 outs to load the bases. Ryan Chmielewski then scored on a wild pitch to make it 23-0. Kirby Fischer was then hit by a pitch to re-load the bases for Pierz. Chase Becker then ripped a single up the middle for his 5th hit of the game, and driving in both Carter Petron and David Kroger to make it 25-0. Noah Cekalla then doubled to center, plating Kirby Fischer to make it 26-0 after 5 innings.
Upsala would get just their 4th and final base runner of the game in the top of the 6th when Ryan Chmielewski walked Bryce Binek with 2 outs before striking out Zach Johnson to end the inning.
In the top of the 7th, the Lakers brought in Noah Cekalla to pitch in place of Ryan Chmielewski. He struck out Isaac Gapinski and Jeremy Mugg before getting Jack Primus to ground out to 3rd baseman Kirby Fischer to end the game due to the 10-run rule, with the Lakers winning 26-0.
The Pierz Lakers next game will be next Sunday in Opole at 10:00 am when they will play the winner of the Randall/Pierz Brewers game for the Region 9C Championship.
The Upsala Bluejays next game will be next Saturday in Opole at 4:00 pm where they will face the winner of Sunday’s Royalton/Opole game. That will be an elimination game.
Upsala 0 3 2 – 0 7 innings
Pierz Lakers 26 29 0 – 26
WP: Ryan Chmielewski 6.0IP 0 runs 3 hits 11k 1bb
Noah Cekalla 1.0IP 0 runs 0 hits 2k 0bb
LP: Brock Cichon 1.2IP 10 runs 11 hits 1k 0bb
Bryce Binek 2.2IP 14 runs 16 hits 2k 1bb
Jack Primus 1.2IP 2 runs 2 hits 2k 2bb 1hp
Lakers:
Chase Becker 5-6 2B(2), sb, 4 rbi, 5 runs
Noah Cekalla 4-5 2B(2), bb, 5 rbi, 3 runs
Preston Rocheleau 4-6 2B, 5 rbi, 4 runs
Brady Petron 2-5 sac, run
Ryan Chmielewski 3-6 2B(2), 5 rbi, 2 runs
Carter Petron 4-5 bb, rbi, 3 runs
Ryan Diers 2-6 rbi, run
Kamden Happke 3-4 2B, 2 rbi, 3 runs
– David Kroger 0-0 bb, run
Kolten Happke 2-4 2 rbi, 2 runs
– Kirby Fischer 0-0 hp, run
Bluejays:
Justin Cichon 0-2
– Cohl Clear 0-1
Bryce Binek 0-2 bb
Matt Swanson 1-2
– Zach Johnson 0-1
Brandon Welinski 0-2
– Isaac Gapinski 0-1
CJ Clear 0-1
– Jeremy Mugg 0-2
Jack Primus 1-3
Brady Burggraff 0-1
– Travis Barthel 0-1
Jaxon Bartkowicz 0-2
Brock Cichon 1-2
