Menasha Advances To State Championship
Menasha's Brady Rasmussen tries to turn a double play while Antigo's Max Nowinsky pops up from a slide. Photo by Spencer Flaten for Wisconsin Baseball Central.
RIVER FALLS, Wis.—Menasha beat Antigo 13-5 on Saturday at the Legion baseball Class AA state tournament to clinch a berth in the state championship.
The Twins used three big innings to beat the Typhoon in a matchup of the only two undefeated teams left in tournament play.
Antigo took the lead in the bottom of the second inning with two runs. Arin VerHagen hit an RBI single and Matt Winter grounded into a fielder’s choice which scored a run for the Typhoon.
Menasha rallied with four runs in the fourth inning to take the lead. They got runners on first and second with nobody out to start the inning, and Peyton Jack hit a ground ball to pitcher Jesse Jankowski. He tried to get the runner at third, but overthrew the base and allowed the Twins to score their first run. Two more errors on the Antigo infield allowed the Twins to take a 3-2 lead later in the inning. Finally, Tyler Nelson plated a run when he grounded into a fielder’s choice.
Antigo fired back in the bottom of the inning. Winter and Cam Noskowiak both drew bases-loaded walks to tie the game at four runs apiece. However, the Typhoon stranded the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Twins scored four more runs in the sixth inning. Kelvin Medrano and Nelson both hit two RBI singles to break the tie and give Menasha an 8-4 lead.
Max Nowinsky hit an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth for Antigo to cut the lead to 8-5.
Menasha effectively finished off their opponents with five runs in the top of the seventh. Griffin Jack hit a two RBI single and Zach Parks added an RBI with a single of his own. Medrano drew a bases-loaded walk in the inning as well.
Medrano led the Twins with two hits, while Nelson finished with a team-high four RBIs. Jed Weix, Nick Greening, Nowinsky and VerHagen all had two hits for Antigo.
With the win, Menasha (26-3) advances to the state championship on Sunday. They will face Wisconsin Dells on Saturday night, but will play in the championship round regardless of the result.
Antigo (19-6) will face Waterford in an elimination game at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
