Port wins pair headed into playoffs

The final game of the regular season didn’t exactly start how Port Washington baseball coach C.J. Koehler had scripted it.

The Pirates committed four errors in the first two innings of its home contest against nonconference opponent Cedar Grove-Belgium.

But pitcher Ryan Umhoefer “was able to work out of that,” Koehler said, allowing just one run.

Umhoefer didn’t allow any more. In six innings, he gave up four hits and whiffed three batters while walking one.

Port beat the Rockets, 8-1.

At the plate, the Pirates blew the game open in the sixth inning with five runs. After an out, Beau Fleischmann and Rob Ross singled, and Marcus Schmit had an RBI single. Zach Uselding walked, and

Nolan Large walked to score another run. Noah Prom walked to plate a third, and Murphy followed with a two-RBI single.

“It was a tight game going into the sixth, but I was feeling good the way our pitching was going,” Koehler said.

“It was good for our guys to play in a tight game and open it up later. We haven’t had many of those this year.”

Murphy hit the ball hard in every at-bat in going 4-for-4 with a double and four RBI.

The blowout came one day after the Pirates snuck by North Shore Conference rival Whitefish Bay on the road, 6-5.

With the game tied entering the seventh inning, Schmit hit a one-out single and stole second.

With two outs, Nolan Mueller came through in the clutch, hitting a single to left to score Schmit.

“It was a two-strike approach, a big clutch at-bat by Mueller,” Koehler said.

Schmit easily scored.

“Marcus had a great jump off of second base, knowing he was going on the swing,” Koehler said.

In the bottom of the seventh, Schmit came in to pitch and let a runner reach second base before recording the final out.

Mueller ended the game 2-for-4. Port only had five hits.

The Pirates scored five runs in the fourth inning without a base hit, instead taking advantage of walks and errors.

“We did a little damage with what we’ve been giving other teams,” Koehler said.

Uselding started and went four innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out four. Koehler said he limited his ace knowing he would be pitching in the first playoff game on Tuesday.

Fleishmann pitched a clean fifth inning but found trouble in the sixth. Ross got the Pirates out of it and kept the game tied.

On July 3, the Pirates lost at West Bend East, 8-0, in a game in which they didn’t want to reveal too much.

“We had just found out that we drew them in the playoffs, so we didn’t want to show them our top pitcher,” Koehler said.

Freshman Joe Yandry started on short rest and didn’t walk anyone in three innings.

“He has really kind of stepped up here lately for us,” Koehler said.

But Yandry didn’t get much help.

“Our defense really hurt us that game. We had six errors,” Koehler said.

On July 2, the Pirates lost, 7-1, at NSC rival Cedarburg.

Port scored its only run in the first inning. Uselding singled and stole second, and Schmit doubled him in.

Noah Prom started and pitched well for four innings, allowing two runs. The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth as Prom walked three batters. In 4-1/3 innings, Prom allowed six runs on four hits and walked five. Schmit threw one inning and Daniel Barney 2/3 of an inning.

Port finished 3-13 in the NSC and 6-22 overall. They earned a No. 11 seed in they playoffs and faced No. 6-seeded West Bend East on Tuesday.
CG-Belgium enters playoffs on a skid

Cedar Grove-Belgium two weeks ago had been playing the best baseball of its season in winning five straight. That turned around last week as the Rockets lost three games in a row to end the regular season.

Last Thursday, the Rockets lost to Plymouth, 9-6. Mason Noll had a triple and Jeffrey Emperly and Bryce Morgan each had a double.

Jason von Heimburg started and took the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) in five innings, walking four and whiffing two.

On July 2, a late rally fell short in a 3-2 loss at rival Oostburg.

Brad Katte allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings, walking and whiffing four each. Jacob Bohlmann had two doubles and Cameron Kirst one.

The Rockets scored two runs in the seventh but couldn’t come all the way back.

The Rockets finished 14-8 and in third place in the Big East Conference. They were 14-13 overall.

They earned a No. 4 seed and a bye in the playoffs. On Wednesday, they were scheduled to play the winner of Tuesday’s game between No. 5-seeded Sheboygan Falls and No. 12-seeded Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah.