Late mound struggles leave Ozaukee baseball with few options in 12-2 road loss to Pewaukee
The Ozaukee Warriors’ baseball game last Saturday could be called “A Farewell to Arms.”
After playing host Pewaukee on near-even terms for four innings, the Warriors fell victim to pitching woes and were handed a 12-2 nonconference loss.
Pewaukee turned a 3-2 lead into a lopsided win on the mercy rule by scoring nine runs in the fifth.
“We just ran out of pitching,” Ozaukee coach Bob Kiefer said. “If we have four games in a week, and one of them is a nonconference, we have to use some of our young kids on the mound.”
Starting pitcher Jeremy Wichmann helped keep the Warriors in contention for the first four innings. However, relievers Joe Schauer and Mitch McConnell struggled in the fifth, when Pewaukee drew six walks.
The Pirates outhit Ozaukee, 6-5, led by 2-for-3 efforts from Trent Borgardt and Jordan Hass.
The Warriors’ top hitter was senior Devon Linzenmeyer, who was 2-for-2.
The loss dropped Ozaukee’s overall record to 6-8 but wasn’t a major blow, according to Kiefer.
“Our focus has always been on conference games. This kind of game just gives our young kids a chance to play,” he said.
Ozaukee 4, Cedar Grove-Belgium 1
The Warriors made the most of limited scoring chances in a Central Lakeshore Conference home win last Friday.
Ozaukee managed only three hits off Rockets starter Josh Ruppel but pulled away from a 1-1 tie by scoring three runs in the fourth inning.
The rally included two walks, an RBI single by Schauer and a wild pitch.
Ruppel was nearly flawless in the other innings, allowing only an RBI single by Jared Bares in the second. Ruppel finished with a three-hitter, striking out 12 and walking three.
But Ozaukee pitcher Patrick Kroening was equally effective. He allowed five hits in a complete-game effort, struck out seven and walked two.
Cedar Grove-Belgium’s lone run came in the third when T.J. Obbink doubled and scored on a triple by Justin Keller. Obbink finished with a game-high three hits.
The Warriors kept the pressure on Ruppel and the Rockets’ defense throughout the game by stealing eight bases.
In the fourth, two Cedar Grove-Belgium errors helped Ozaukee do all its scoring with two outs.
The win improved Ozaukee to 6-5 in CLC play. Cedar Grove-Belgium fell to 6-4.
Howards Grove 8, Ozaukee 3
An early deficit was too much for the Warriors to overcome in a conference road loss June 20.
Howards Grove broke a scoreless tie with a four-run second inning. After Ozaukee pulled within 4-2 in the third, the Tigers tacked on two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Freshman pitcher Owen Miller took the loss. He worked six innings, allowing five earned runs, struck out five and walked one.
Kroening led Ozaukee at the plate with a 2-for-4 effort.
The Warriors picked up an unexpected win over Howards Grove when they were awarded a 5-3 victory in a game suspended June 6. The Tigers held a 7-5 lead when the game was halted as the nightcap of a doubleheader, but officials later ruled the score should revert to the last completed inning, a decision that wiped out a Howards Grove rally.
This week, Ozaukee was scheduled to continue CLC play with a doubleheader against Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah on Monday and host 5:30 p.m. games against Sheboygan Lutheran/Kohler on Wednesday and first-place Oostburg on Friday.
On July 3, the Warriors will play a 5:30 p.m. road game against Random Lake.
Image Information: OZAUKEE’S Mitch McConnell tried to apply the tag and avoid a collision as Christian O’Donnell of Cedar Grove-Belgium arrived at second base. Photo by Sam Arendt
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