Time for second season

The Ozaukee High School baseball team has been playing well the past few games, but its competition has been top notch.

The Warriors on Monday lost at highly ranked St. Mary Central, 4-3, after losing at Random Lake, 3-1, last Thursday. Both of its opponents share the Big East Conference crown with 11-1 records. Ozaukee is 7-5.

Against Central, Brent Hoffmann pitched 4-1/3 innings and alowed four runs (two earned) on five hits, walking four. Noah Miller went 1-2/3 innings and allowed a hit while whiffing three.

Miller had a single and a double. Logan Bell had a double and RBI. Hoffmann had two singles. Matt Miller had a single and RBI. Simon Bares had a double.

The Warriors outhit the Zephyrs, 8-6. Each team made two errors.

Ozaukee scored one run in the first inning and two in the fourth. The Zephyrs scored one in the first and three in the fifth.

“It was a great game by all,” coach Steve Kowalkowski said.

At Random Lake, Noah Miller allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings. He whiffed 12 and walked none.

He was the team’s only offense, with a home run to center field.

“We’re playing great baseball against great teams,” Kowalkowski said.

Ozaukee beat Sheboygan Lutheran, 13-3, on May 14 at Kapco Field due to wet field conditions in Fredonia.

Noah Miller had an inside-the-park home run, a triple, two singles and six RBI. Bares had two hits.

Hoffmann, Mitch Weyker and Matt Miller each pitched.

Ozaukee is a No. 2 seed in the Division 3 playoffs and hosts No. 7-seeded Kohler/Shebogyan Christian at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“They’re feeling good about themselves and what they can do,” Kowalkowski said of his team.

CG-Belgium loses four in a row

Random Lake clinched a share of the league crown with a 10-5 win at Cedar Grove-Belgium on Monday.

Brad Katte started and was pulled with a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning when he reached his pitch limit. Coach Tom Race wants to start him on Thursday.

Katte allowed one run on three hits in four innings, whiffing eight and walking four. He leads the state in strikeouts with 97, according to wissports.net.

“I think he’s probably the best pitcher in the conference,” Race said.

Katte, Jeffrey Emperley and Matt Poull each had two hits.

The Rockets lost, 12-2, at Plymouth on Saturday in a non-conference game that could have been worse. Coach Butch Cain used good sportsmanship, Race said.

The Rockets made too many errors in a 10-2 loss at Oostburg last Thursday. Katte allowed three runs in five innings and had two doubles at the plate. Emperley went 2-for-4 with a stolen base.

On May 14, the Rockets beat Hilbert/Stockbridge, 10-4. Zach Zimpelman pitched the whole game, allowing two runs on seven hits, whiffing four and walking three. Robbie Tharp hit a solo home run over the scoreboard in left field. Jacob Bohlman had two hits.

The Rockets on May 13 lost in a walk-off at Kiel, 4-3. Wesley Katte allowed one run on two hits in four innings, whiffing four and walking three. Cayden Fischer relieved and gave up the game-winner.

Emperley had two hits.

The Rockets are a No. 3 seed in the Division 3 playoffs and host Dominican at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. If the Rockets and Warriors win their openers, they face off on Tuesday, May 28.