SAUK CITY — Sauk Prairie cleared its first hurdle of the Home Talent League playoffs with Sunday’s 6-5 home win over Black Earth.
The host Twins were seemingly in control until creating a hurdle of their own by giving up four runs in the top of the eighth inning, as the Bombers stormed back to tie the game at 5.
But Sauk Prairie, the No. 2 seed in the Northern Section playoffs, won it in walk-off fashion to advance through the quarterfinals.
"It was a wild game in that Black Earth outhit us, but we were able to stay in control most of the game," Sauk Prairie player-manager Lucas Koenig said. "I really liked how our team kept an even keel even when things weren't going our way."
Dylan Slotty walked to start the rally in the bottom of the ninth. Benjamin Lenerz pinch ran, then Lucas Koenig was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on for Elliot Dederich. The Black Earth third baseman was able to make a diving stop on Dederich's grounder, but the throw got past the second baseman and Lenerz was able to score safely to give the Twins the win.
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Sauk Prairie steadily built up an early lead Sunday. Black Earth (8-8) got on the board first, as Shane Moyer led off the third inning with a double and eventually scored when Marcus Caminitti hit into an error.
Sauk Prairie answered in the bottom of the third. Chucky Schara reached on an error before Jeremy Meier and Elijah Jorgenson both walked to load the bases with no outs against Caminitti. The pitcher settled in, getting a groundout and a strikeout before a wild pitch allowed Schara to come home and tie the game at 1.
The Twins tacked on two runs in the third, including a go-ahead single for Schara, and Dederich hit an RBI single in the fifth to stretch the lead to 5-1. Dederich went 2 for 5 with three RBI in the win, as the Twins were outhit 9-5.
Connor Leister picked up the win on the mound, collecting seven strikeouts while allowing five hits and two earned run sin 6 2/3 innings of work.
"Connor Leister did a great job getting out of jams in the third and eighth, setting up the walk-off win," Lucas Koenig said.
Sauk Prairie (13-3) will host third-seeded Ashton (12-4) in the Aug. 11 semifinals. The A’s are coming off a 4-2 home win over Waunakee (8-8). The Twins’ 2018 postseason run ended in the semifinals, when they suffered a 4-0 home loss to Cross Plains.
Sauk Prairie will open the Night League playoffs Thursday against Shullsburg/Benton in Wiota.
Reedsburg routed by Middleton
Reedsburg’s Sunday League season came to an end with an 18-1 loss at Middleton.
The top-seeded ’29ers pulled away for good with a 10-run fifth inning that gave them the 18-1 lead and eventually ended the game by the mercy rule.
The eighth-seeded Pirates ended the Sunday League with an 8-8 record.