RICHLAND CENTER — Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Richland Center Hornets found themselves with a possibility of a .500 finish in the SWC.

Coach Ryan Lemke’s Hornets have won three straight SWC games. They have improved to 4–5 in the league.

And the highlight of the week was Brock Louis’ walkoff three-run homer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh that lifted the Hornets to a 5-4 win Monday night.

The Hornets routed Platteville, 9-2, last Thursday and then topped Lancaster, 6–2, at home Tuesday.

The Hornets, now 7-8 overall, will host Hillsboro Thursday, then go to River Valley Friday.

The Hornets will conclude regular season play with non-conference games against Riverdale Monday and Mauston Tuesday. Both games will be at the Hornets’ diamond.

A win over River Valley could give the Hornets a 5-5 conference mark and tie River Valley for third place in the final league standings. The Hornets have not finished at .500 or better since 2019 and only twice since 2015.

Few games have ended any more dramatically than the Hornets’ win over Prairie du Chien on Louis’ homer.

“I was just trying not to strikeout,” he recalled. He walloped a high drive down the leftfield line. 

Was he concerned whether it was fair or foul? “I didn’t see it, I just started running,” he said. Many others in the crowd were as the shot kept carrying.

Finally signalled fair and a home run, there was pandemonium. Meanwhile, Prairie du Chien players, who appeared destined to grab a share of the SWC title, were stunned. 

Prairie du Chien took a 1-0 lead in the first but the Hornets tied the game when Cole Wassinger singled home Logan Olson. But the Blackhawks scored two in the fifth and one in the seventh. The insurance wasn’t enough. 

Hornet starting pitcher Layne Miller doubled to ignite the rally that got him off the hook. 

Trent Forehand doubled him home, and Olson reached to set the stage for Louis’ shot that echoed down the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi.

The rally gave relief pitcher Bruce Buchholtz to victory. 

Was he concerned whether it was fair or foul? “I didn’t see it, I just started running,” he said. Many others in the crowd were as the shot kept carrying.

Finally signalled fair and a home run, there was pandemonium. Meanwhile, Prairie du Chien players, who appeared destined to grab a share of the SWC title, were stunned. 

Prairie du Chien took a 1-0 lead in the first but the Hornets tied the game when Cole Wassinger singled home Logan Olson. But the Blackhawks scored two in the fifth and one in the seventh. The insurance wasn’t enough. 

Hornet starting pitcher Layne Miller doubled to ignite the rally that got him off the hook. 

Trent Forehand doubled him home, and Olson reached to set the stage for Louis’ shot that echoed down the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi.

The rally gave relief pitcher Bruce Buchholtz to victory.