Bad Breaks vs. a Good Team = DOOM!
By: Steven Ballman
On a week that the 7 Up boys hoped to get back on track, the wheels are getting spun deeper and deeper in the mud. After ANOTHER rain out in Tri County, a few key missing players AGAIN, the boys packed up their bags and headed into the Village of Pewaukee to face the Pewaukee Dominick's.
West Bend looked to take the lead quickly as perennial All-Star Billy Bynum blast to Right Centerfield hit off the top of the fence and the next batter struck out to end the threat. Andrew Mueller, who was making his first start of the year, didn't face the same luck to start the game. A bloop single by leadoff hitter Kurt Sarcia, a walk to Nick Wichser, a wild pitch, and throw your bat at it bloop to right field made it 2-0 quickly.
Anytime you give a pitcher like Adam Dominick a lead you know you have your work cut out for you. West Bend finally got a base runner in the top of the 3rd when Taylor Koth got hit by a pitch. A stolen base and a wild pitch got Koth to third. Billy Bynum walked, and then on a controversial call, Dominick was charged with a balk to cut the lead in half. West Bend ended up not being able to score Bynum from 2nd to end the threat.
Pewaukee would scratch out a run in the bottom of the 4th with a walk, a hit batter, then a single to left. Andrew Mueller dug deep and got out of the jam.
West Bend would tie it the 6th against a tiring Dominick. Back to back singles by Matt Parrent and Adam Rohlinger got things going. Parrent stole 3rd and Dominick tried to throw down to get Rohlinger and the ball went into Centerfield. Dylan Hinkley, who was 0 for life against Dominick, continued his hot start to the season, lining a ball to left field scoring Rohlinger to tie it up.
The tie wouldn't last long. Pewaukee's Brandon Werner led the 8th off on a misjudged ball that allowed him to get a double, a perfect SAC bunt by Kurt Sarcia, and a SAC fly by Brock Goetzke gave Pewaukee the lead for good.
West Bend had their chance in the 8th against new pitcher Brock Goetzke. Matt Parrent doubled, but then Adam Rohlinger lined a bullet at Sarcia in Left Field nearly tearing off his hand from his wrist, Parrent who was running on the play was doubled off. West Bend couldn't mount a challenge from there on out.
Another close loss.