Athens rallies for semifinal win over Oakfield
Athens catcher Connor Westfall jumps into the arms of pitcher Marshall Westfall following the final out of the win on Wednesday (Wisconsin Baseball Central).
GRAND CHUTE – Athens advanced to the state championship game for the first time since 1982 with a 6-3 win over Oakfield in the Division 4 state semifinals on Wednesday.
The Bluejays coasted on the back of a big fourth inning in which they pushed across five runs on some key hits and some defensive miscues from the Oaks.
Early on, it looked like Oakfield might cruise to victory. They scored a run in both the first and second innings on an Athens error and bases loaded walk by Duwayne Balthazor, respectively.
Athens got a run back in the third inning on an RBI single by Dakota Willemssen.
Things swung completely in Athens’ favor from that point on. The fourth inning rally saw the Bluejays smack three hits and get the help of two errors by Oakfield. Willemssen and Seth Coker both hit doubles for two RBIs in the frame to give Athens the lead.
Oakfield showed a little bit of fight in the fifth inning, plating a run on an RBI double by Tyler Franke. However, that was all the offense the Oaks were able to muster for the rest of the game.
Marshall Westfall pitched 5.1 innings for the Bluejays and earned the save. He started the game and later re-entered. He struck out five. Klay Ellenbrecker got the win in 1.2 innings of work.
Johnny Bovee struck out six in 3.1 innings of relief for Oakfield.
Coker led all hitters with a 4-for-4 day at the plate with two RBIs. Willemssen finished with two hits for the Bluejays.
Joey Ruplinger had two hits for the Oaks.
Athens (20-7) will face Independence/Gilmanton in the Division 4 state championship on Thursday at 9 a.m.
Oakfield ends the season with a 19-5 record and as the champion of the Trailways North Conference.
