Topper baseball runs win streak to four games
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
GLENWOOD CITY batter Andrew Blaser took a swing at a pitch during a May 22 game versus Colfax. The game was moved to Boyceville after rain had postponed the teams’ May 18 contest in Glenwood City. Blaser finished 2-for-4 in the game which Glenwood City won 10-9 in extra innings. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
The Glenwood City baseball team is definitely peaking at the right time of the season – playoff time.
Glenwood City has won five of its last six games and four straight including three last week that featured back-to-back conference wins to end the regular season followed by its first playoff victory since the 2014 season.
The Hilltoppers triumphed in a pair of one-run conference contests to end the regular season. Glenwood City defeated Colfax 10-9 in extra innings in a game played Monday, May 22 at Evenson Field in Boyceville and followed it up the next day with a 5-4 road win over Durand-Arkansaw that put the finishing touches on a 7-9 Dunn-St. Croix campaign which saw the Toppers finish fifth in the 8-team standings.
Two days later, the Hilltoppers hosted Thorp in the WIAA Division 4 regional opener and secured a 6-4 win, their first playoff win since a 8-7 victory against Prairie Farm on June 4, 2014.
#7 Glenwood City, 9-8, traveled to Rib Lake Tuesday afternoon, May 30 for a regional semifinal against second seed Rib Lake.
Colfax
Glenwood City and Colfax combined for 29 hits when they played in Boyceville Monday, May 22 following the Boyceville versus Colfax contest.
The pair’s May 18 game in Glenwood City had been postponed due to rain.
With regional play starting in two days, using a lot of the pitching staff was something both squads were trying to avoid, but the Vikings ended up using three pitchers while the Hilltoppers used five of them in the extra inning game.
Colfax came out of the gates quickly, scoring two first inning runs. The Toppers countered with two runs in their half of the first on a pair of singles and a double for a 2-2 score.
Using three hits along with a Viking error, a free pass and a passed ball, the Toppers pulled ahead 6-2, then added two runs in the fourth to increase their advantage 8-2.
The Viking bats began ringing in the fifth and resulted in four runs for the Vikings and they were behind just 8-6.
Colfax knotted the score in the top of the sixth.
It was a scoreless seventh inning for both teams and after the Vikings scored a run in the top of the eighth, things were looking good for Colfax who led 9-8.
But with one out in their half of the eighth frame, the Toppers put two runners on via a walk and a single. A fly ball resulted in the second out but another free pass loaded the bases and a base hit by Blake Fayerweather brought two runs in to win the game.
Glenwood City had 15 hits to Colfax’s 14. Peyton Theune and Steven Booth led the Toppers’ offense as each finished 3-for-5 at the plate. Booth finished with four RBIs in the game while Theune scored four runs. Max Janson, Andrew Blaser and Jayden Quinn each finished with a pair of hits.
Despite throwing just one-third of an inning, Peyton Theune picked up the win as he did not allow a run or hit and struck out one. Janson went three innings giving up four runs on five hits with three Ks, Noah Brite threw two and two-thirds innings allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts, Steve Booth threw an inning and a third without allowing a hit or run with three whiffs and a walk and finally, Blake Fayerweather, pitched a third inning allowing two runs on three hits with a walk.
Durand-Arkansaw
The following day in Durand, the Hilltoppers and Panthers combined for 24 hits – 12 each – as the visitors from Glenwood City pulled out its second straight one-run win in as many days with a 5-4 victory.
Durand-Arkansaw led 3-1 going into the top of the fifth when Glenwood City scored twice to knot the game.
The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to go ahead 4-3. But, the Hilltoppers came up with two runs in the top of the seventh and then held Durand-Arkansaw scoreless in its final at bat to take the 5-4 win.
Aaron Brigham went 3-for-4 to lead the Toppers’ offense while Blake Fayerweather and Caleb Klinger each finished 2-for-4. Klinger scored two runs and Jayden Quinn picked up two of the Hilltoppers’ three game RBIs.
Steven Booth and Max Janson each threw three frames for Glenwood City and Fayerweather one. Booth allowed six hits but only two runs to get the win as he struck out three. Janson allowed five hits and two runs with a pair of free passes and two Ks. Fayerweather gave up just one hit.
Thorp
Hosting its first home playoff game in several seasons, Glenwood City picked up a 6-4 win over Thorp in the opening-round, Division 4 regional contest played Thursday, May 25.
The Cardinals struck first with a run in the top of the first. Glenwood City went ahead 3-1 with a trio of third-inning scores.
It remained that way until the sixth when the teams each traded three runs with the Toppers holding on for the 6-4 win.
Glenwood City collected 13 hits in the contest compared to six for Thorp.
Max Janson went 3-for-4 batting for the Toppers with two runs scored and an RBI. Jayden Quinn, Peyton Theune and Steven Booth each had a pair of hits which included a double by Booth.
Booth started and pitched the first five inning but did not get the decision despite surrendering just a single run on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks. Blake Fayerweather threw the final two frames to get the win as he allowed three runs on two hits with four Ks and three walks.