By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
The Elkhorn Area High School baseball team entered a busy stretch of play this week on a three-game winning streak.
The Elks won April 28 in a non-conference game against the Trojans at East Troy. Elkhorn won 5-3 April 27 at Union Grove and 2-0 April 25 at home against Grove, both in Southern Lakes Conference games.
“We played really well,” Elks coach Jon Anzalone said. “Our defense has been consistently good. Our pitchers were around the strike zone and we kept putting the bat on the ball.
“Some kids have been stepping up. It was a good week for Elkhorn baseball.”
The Elks (9-5, 4-3 SLC) played Monday at Badger, and played at home against Westosha Central Tuesday, both in SLC games. The Elks play Central today at Paddock Lake., and play a non-conference May 8 at Milton.
The Trojans forced extra innings against the Elks with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning and tied the score 4-4.
Elkhorn scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. The Elks and Trojans each scored two runs in the first inning. The Elks added two more runs in the third and the Trojans scored another in the fourth.
“We were hitting the ball, but we were having a hard time, with a lot of fly outs and ground balls,” Anzalone said. “It took that long to figure out how to really hit it hard.”
Ryan Marks, Zach Hunter and Jet Weber allowed seven hits in nine innings of work as pitchers for the Elks.
Jordan VanDyke tallied two hits and four RBI at the plate for the Elks. Kyle Gosh drove in three runs. Ian Nowell finished with two hits and two runs scored and Weber tallied three runs scored and one hit.
Elkhorn took the lead for good in the April 27 game against the Broncos with four runs in the top of the fifth.
Nowell homered and drove-in himself and VanDyke. Nick Rockweiler’s double plated Weber, and Rockweiler scored on an infield single by Ross Ingersoll.
The Elks added another run in the top of the sixth.
Ben McConnell and Ingersoll together allowed the Broncos five hits over seven innings.
VanDyke allowed seven hits over seven innings and pitched a shutout in a complete game effort April 25 against the Broncos.
Elkhorn scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning. Lucas Harding opened the inning with a double, took third base on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice by Hunter. Hunter scored later in the inning on a defensive interference call against the Broncos.
