With the school year and spring sports coming to an end, baseball wrap up their seasons with a lot of positives to end this year. They have had some quality wins that they will remember for years to come.
The team had a rocky stretch this year that made their record fall to a 10-14 regular season record but they earned the 8 seed in the playoffs to play Racine Case in the first round of Regionals. Greendale took away the game and got out in five innings winning 10-0 by mercy rule.
“I feel like the team will perform pretty well. We have been playing really well the past couple games,” senior captain Caden Meyer said.
Going into the second round of Regionals there was more competition ahead. Greendale faced off against Franklin at Franklin’s field. This is a long lasting rivalry that has been going on for years now as the neighboring towns play each other for the regional championship. Franklin won during the regular season only by 1 run so the players definitely thought they had a chance to win.
“I think it all depends on how we come out. I think if we come out with energy and be loud we will do good. But if not it’ll be rough.” senior captain Ben Hites said.
The Panthers started off the game against the Sabers kind of slow and gave up an early run off of an error throw from a bunt. Greendale was trailing by one score the entire game until the top of the sixth where the Panthers put up five runs unanswered. Senior Jacob Spormann got the rally started with a leadoff single and the dugout energy followed. The guys in the dugout didn’t lower the tone until the inning was over. The Panthers had multiple guys to have clutch at bats and needed RBI’s to seal the game 5-2 and knock out the 1 seed at their field.
The players who had the most contributions were Chase Ruhland who gave up 1 unearned run in his 5 innings pitched. Meyer sealed the game on the bump with two innings pitched and one unearned run in as well. At the plate sophomore Will Picago caught fire with a couple of singles and two RBI’s. Every player gave in something for a collective big win for the Greendale Panthers.
“Nothing felt better than the feeling of beating the number 1 seed on their field in front of a packed out stands,” senior Hudson Bailey said.
The team is headed to once again another Sectionals hoping to extend the season game by game. Union Grove is the first roadblock to state and if they win they will play the winner of Oak Creek and Kenosha Tremper.
