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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SHIOCTON – The Auburndale baseball team, which won its last two regional games with late rallies, ran out of the late-inning magic on Tuesday at sectionals.
Amherst pulled ahead with a three-run fourth inning and held off the Eagles’ final-inning push to earn a 4-3 victory in a WIAA Division 3 sectional semifinal Tuesday morning at Shiocton High School.
Kiel (24-2) beat New Holstein (12-12) 4-3 in the other semifinal and went on to shut out Amherst 2-0 in the sectional championship game to earn its first-ever trip to the state tournament. The 2023 WIAA State Baseball Tournament will be held at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton from June 12-15.
Down 4-2 entering the top of the seventh, Kaden Anderson led off the inning with a walk. After a strikeout, Anderson moved to second on a groundout. Blake Raab’s bouncer to second was misplayed and went to the outfield, allowing Anderson to score and put the potential tying run on base, but Amherst pitcher Wyatt Blaskowski struck out his 11th batter of the game to finish off the win and end Auburndale’s season.
“There were a few balls that we hit hard and they didn’t find grass, but strikeouts can always be a problem,” Auburndale coach Jay Anderson said. “A couple of errors that got them from first to third, like in the first inning, and a groundball that was missed.
“We made a nice run and it really was a pleasure coaching these guys. Having a pitcher like (Blaskowski), he throws the ball hard and has a nice curve ball to match, and we don’t face many like that. We tried to simulate it as much as we could, but when you face a pitcher like that, it’s tough.”
Amherst struck first with an unearned run in the bottom of the first against Raab, who went the distance on the mound for Auburndale, striking out three without a walk in six innings. An error by Raab trying to pick off Blaskowski allowed him to go to third and he came into score on a groundout by T.J. Brandl.
Auburndale responded with single tallies in the third and fourth innings to grab the lead.
Tim Schmitt reached on an error and Nate Richardson was hit by a pitch to lead off the third. Raab singled to load the bases before a wild pitch allowed Schmitt to score and tie the game at 1-1.
With two outs in the fourth, Ian Brown walked, went to third on a throwing error by Blaskowski, and scored on a double by Anderson, giving the Eagles a 2-1 advantage.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Amherst scored three times in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Brandl, Noah Spoelstra and Marcus Kennedy.
Blaskowski did not allow another hit after Anderson’s double as the Eagles never could get untracked against the big right-hander.
“At the high school level, you want to put the bat on the ball, field your position and throw strikes,” Jay Anderson said. “For the most part we have been doing those things, but with a pitcher like that you have to be perfect in every way possible.
“Blake did a heck of a job keeping us close and we made a lot of nice plays defensively to keep us right there to give us a chance.”
Auburndale ends its season at 16-8, winning eight of its last nine prior to the sectional loss. Jay Anderson said he believes it is the start of the Eagles turning their program into a consistent winner.
“We lost something like three games 2-1 and another one 4-3, so we were right there,” Anderson said. “It was a real solid season and I’m really happy with the way it went, and we hit our stride here at the end. We want to continue building the program and these guys made a lot of strides. It’s been a long time since we had 16 wins and they built a good foundation that we can keep building on.”
Falcons 4, Eagles 3
Auburndale 001 100 1 – 3 2 3
Amherst 100 300 x – 4 6 3
WP: Wyatt Blaskowski. LP: Blake Raab.
SO: Raab 3; Blaskowski 11. BB: Raab 0; Blaskowski 2.
Top hitters: AUB, Raab 1×4; Kaden Anderson 1×2, 2B, RBI, run. AM, Blaskowski 2×3, 2B, 2 runs; T.J. Brandl 2×3, 2 RBI; Noah Spoelstra 1×3, RBI.
Records: Auburndale 16-8; Amherst 19-8.