MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (March 31–April 7)
BASEBALL: Boscobel 3, North Crawford 2 (8 innings)
By Jason Nihles, Boscobel Dial / Fennimore Times / The Platteville Journal
Bulldogs walk off win opening win after Miller scores on wild pitch in the 8th inning
BOSCOBEL — The Boscobel baseball team opened the season with a 3–2 eight inning victory over visiting North Crawford last Tuesday afternoon.
The game was a scoreless tie through seven innings before it was decided in extras.
The Trojans scored two unearned runs in the top of the eighth inning against Boscobel sophomore reliever Kiptyn Brown.
Brown (1–0) hit Bender, then gave up a single to Landon Stluka, but nearly got out of the jam after a sac bunt, a strikeout and a ground ball to shortstop.
But the two-out error allowed Bender and Stluka to scored breaking the scoreless tie.
Brown struck out Salmon to limit the damage, then walked to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning, then sophomore Dexter Zart reached on an error by Stluka, who had relieved North Crawford starter Landon Blaha.
Tyler Miller followed with and RBI single to centerfield to make it 2–1.
Gage Wayne walked to load the bases, then after a strikeout, sophomore Gunner Wayne drew a bases loaded walk to tie the game.
Seven pitches later after sophomore Graydon Ritchter battled back from an 0–2 count, Miller scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch.
“The first seven innings was a pitching dual between Blaha and Tyler Miller,” said Boscobel head coach James Marks. “Tyler struck out 14 batters and did a very, very good job keeping them off bases.
“Kip came in to start the eighth, we had a couple errors and a gave up a couple hits, but he was able to limit the damage and give up a chance in the bottom of the eighth.
“North Crawford also had to change their pitcher and we were able to take advantage of a few errors. Tyler had a clutch RBI single and later came around to score the game-winner on a wild pitch with two outs.
“It was a good game where hits and runs were tough to come by, but I felt like our eighth inning comeback was a little bit of a carry over from last year where the kids didn’t give up and kept on fighting to the end, and we were able to pull it out,” added Marks.
Boscobel finished 13–13 overall a year ago and won a WIAA regional title for the first time since 1999.
Boscobel traveled to Iowa–Grant Tuesday night to open SWAL play before traveling to Fennimore Friday. The Bulldogs (1–3, 0–2 SWAL) will now host Mineral Point Tuesday night.
Boscobel 3, North Crawford 2
(from Tuesday, March 31 @ Boscobel)
North Crawford....000 000 02 — 2 3 2
Boscobel...............000 000 03 — 3 5 4
Leading hitters — B: Tyler Miller 3x4 (RBI, R). 2B — B: Sawyer Loos.
W — Kiptyn Brown (1–0, 2IP, 1H, 2R, 0ER, 3K, 0BB). L — Landon Stluka (1.2IP, 1H, 3R, 0ER, 3K, 4BB).
