EDITOR'S NOTE: The Swnews4u.com Athlete of the Week is a web-only feature that will publish each Thursday throughout the calendar year.
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial
Jesse Key, So., OF/3B, Platteville baseball
PLATTEVILLE — The pitching of sophomore Trenton Mumm and junior Riley Donahoe gave Platteville a fighting chance, but it was the might swing of sophomore Jesse Key that delivered the knock out blow.
Key blasted a 3–1 fastball over the left field fence for a dramatic walk-off three-run homer to lift the host Hillmen to a thrilling 4–2 Southwest Wisconsin Conference victory over previously undefeated Dodgeville Friday at Hill Field in Legion Park.
Key finished 3-for-4 with three RBI.
The Dodgers (7–1, 3–1 SWC) took a 2–1 lead in the top of the seventh on a RBI single by Sean Reilly, but Donahoe, who relieved Mumm with one out in the fifth, got out of the game with a strikeout and a pop up to shortstop to escape further damage.
Senior catcher Cam Key walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh against Dodgeville reliever Trenton Reddell, then Donahoe reached on an error by the Dodgers’ shortstop Tarron Bockhop to set the stage for Key’s game-winning heroics.
“Wow is the first thing that comes to mind,” said Platteville head coach Randy Knight. “The boys put together a full seven-inning game that we have been looking for, for the past two years. We executed many things that we have been working on in practice everyday.”
Platteville took an early 1–0 lead in the bottom of the third. Donahoe drew a two-out walk, Jesse Key followed with a single and Keegan Coffey was hit by a pitch load the bases, before junior Davyn Edge reached on an error.
A Platteville error led to Dodgeville’s first run in the fifth.
Donahoe relieved Mumm with one out and bases loaded and got Reilly to pop out to short center field, but Cooper Fockler drew a bases loaded walk to drive in a run.
Mumm allowed one unearned run on seven hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. He escaped a bases loaded game in the third with a ground ball force play at the plate and a strike out to end the threat. He struck out four in the game. Donahoe (2–0) earned the win in relief, allowing one run on two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings pitched. He struck out five.
HONORABLE MENTION (in alphabetical order):
Lainey Burks, Sr., Lancaster girls track and field
Burks had a hand in four victories to lead the Lancaster girls to a 106 team points and a tie for the girls' title at last Saturday's 56th annual Platteville Relays. She teamed with classmate Eden Bowen to win the 2x100 relay (26.01), ran the anchor leg of the winning 4x100 relay (52.43) and 800 sprint medley relay (1:56.96), and jumped 16'3.5" and combined with sophomore Megan Kreul (16'1.5") to win the girls long jump relay.
Gretta Grassel, Jr., P, Boscobel softball
Grassel struck out a season-high 18 batters, allowed just two hits in nine innings, and went 3-for-4 to lead the Bulldogs to a 2–1 extra-inning SWAL victory over Riverdale last Thursday night. A night later, Grassel came on in relief of classmate Erin Knowles and struck out 10 in four hitless innings to earn the victory in Friday's 3–2 non-conference win at Wauzeka–Steuben. The D1 Mississippi State recruit went 1-for-2 with two RBI and three runs scored in Monday's 12–0 win over Southwestern.
