Team heads into tournament action this weekend
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
In three games last week, the East Troy Post 188 Junior Legion baseball team sandwiched a victory in between two one-run losses.
East Troy opened the week with a 10-9 setback June 13 to visiting Mukwonago, followed by a 5-2 win June 14 over Elkhorn. In its finale for the week June 15, the legion dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Delavan.
The 1-2 week leaves East Troy at 5-4 heading into action this week.
Against Delavan on Friday, East Troy had hits from Quinn Erdmann, Mike Rosin and Roman Evans that led to Post 188’s lone run. Rosin took the loss.
The victory June 14 came on the heels of a slow start for East Troy against Mukwonago, followed by a furious rally that fell just short.
East Troy coach Kelly Lehman gave his team a message between the two games, which seemed to do the trick against Elkhorn.
“The energy and preparation to play was clear from the moment the guys got here to warm up,” Lehman said. “It makes a huge difference.”
Starting pitcher Kyle Lehman was the story, as he fanned 13 Elkhorn batters – including 11 straight at one point – in 5-1/3 innings of work. Brandon Bakken earned the save in relief after Lehman reached his pitch limit.
“Kyle’s location and velocity were really good,” Kelly Lehman said. “He was throwing hard and seemingly effortless. He reached the pitch count, but could have finished this one. ‘Bak’ did a great job finishing, though.”
With the game tied 2-2 into the sixth, East Troy took the lead for good.
A single by Bakken drove in Roman Evans, who led off with a single, advanced to second on an error and stole third. After walks to Lehman and Jake Hannah, Bakken scored on a wild pitch to move the Post 188 lead to 4-2.
East Troy tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Gross that scored Erdmann, who had walked, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
The Juniors jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a Elkhorn wild pitch that scored Tyler Dopke, followed by a Bakken sacrifice fly that brought in Evans.
Elkhorn knotted things up at 2-2 with two runs in the bottom of the second.
East Troy returned to action Tuesday at Waterford, followed by home games Thursday and Friday against Delavan, before it travels to Antigo for a weekend tournament. Post 188 will face Stevens Point, D.C. Everest, Clintonville and one yet-to-be-determined opponent during the two-day event.
Tough start
East Troy fell behind, 10-0, against Mukwonago last Wednesday before the Juniors forged a furious nine-run rally in its final two at bats, but fell just short in the one-run loss.
Will Calcaterra drove in two runs with a single in the sixth to pull Post 188 within seven runs at 10-3. A bases-loaded single by Evans in the seventh cut the deficit to five, followed by a two-run single. After Patrick Busch drove in Bakken to cut the lead to just one, however, that’s where the rally ended.
Seeing his team continue to fight was a positive, Lehman said, but he was disappointed with the start.
“You can’t give up 10 runs on only six hits and commit seven errors if you want to win or at least be competitive,” he said. “We have to show up ready to get to work long before the first pitch.”
