Lakeland Little League 9/10 All Stars win state championship

/Contributed photo

/Contributed photo

The Lakeland Little League 9/10 All Star baseball team captured a State Championship Thursday evening, defeating Wausau American 13-3.

The tournament was established with round robin pool play (each team playing each other team once), followed by a single championship game playoff between the #1 and #2 seed from pool standings. The six Champions from their respective districts participated in the Tournament:

  • District 1: West Bend
  • District 2: Appleton National
  • District 3: Rice Lake
  • District 4: Waupun
  • District 5: Wausau
  • District 6: Lakeland

The tournament was hosted by District 1-Glendale Little League. The tournament opened on Friday, July 31 with a welcome picnic and Home Run Derby. Right away, it was easy to see this was going to be a very special memory for all teams involved, given the hospitality, facilities and top-notch fields. The HR derby pitching machine had issues throwing consistent strikes,however Wausau’s Brandt Rice won first place in the event, followed by two Lakeland representatives Anthony Hall and Kade Scott, second and third respectively.

The first game of the tournament kicked off on a good note for Lakeland, winning 15-3 over Waupun. Scotty Schulz pitched well to start the game, until a jam in the third brought in pitching relief. Only three runs scored while Lakeland put up crooked numbers in each inning. In the bottom of the 5th, Kade Scott blasted a grand slam home run to center to surpass the 10 run threshold and end the game. Anthony Hall and Jake Briggs also had multi-RBI performances.

The second game of the tournament matched Lakeland against West Bend. Adam Switalski started the game, pitching to 35 pitch count threshold (one day rest required), giving up only 1 earned run. A 1-1 ball game at the end of the second quickly changed course in Lakeland’s favor, with the Lakeland All Stars putting up 5 in the 3rd and 6 in the 4th to win 12-1 in four innings. The offensive leaders were Switalski (3 RBI), Robson (3 RBI) and Veium (2 RBI), Briggs (1 RBI).

The third game of the tournament on Monday, Aug. 3, pitted Wausau vs. Lakeland in a battle of the unbeatens. It was clear from the amount of runs Wausau put up in the previous two games, this is a powerful team. However, Wausau’s defense and pitching turned out to be impressive as well. Wausau blanked Lakeland for the first two innings, while Wausau pounded 5 runs in the first and 2 runs in the second, led by Brandt Rice with 2HR. Lakeland would post 6 runs in the third. led off by Max Weis and Scotty Schulz, with RBIs from Scott, Veium and Switalski. Wausau would answer with 6 runs of their own, including another 3 run home run by Brandt Rice. Each team would post another run each. Lakeand fell to Wausau 14-7, but hats off to a superstar performance from Brandt Rice (Wausau) with a 3 home run, 8 RBI game.

In Game 4 against the District 3 Champions Rice Lake, Lakeland hoped to rebound from the big loss the previous night. Scotty Schulz took the mound, pitching 4 1/3 innings to his maximum allowable pitch count. Scotty gave up only 3 hits, 2 walks, 4 runs (2 earned), while striking out 7. The game was a tight, defensive battle through the 4th with the score Lakeland 3, Rice Lake 2. However, in the top of the 5th, Lakeland exploded for 10 runs, Led by Kade Scott with a triple and a double in the inning. Kade finished the game goint 4 for 5 with 7 RBI, followed by Max Weis (3 for 3, 3 RBI) and Anthony Hall (3 for 5, 4 RBI). Lakeland added another 4 runs in the top of the 6th, while Rice Lake tacked on 2 in the 5th and 1 in the bottom of the 6th, for a final score of 17-5.

With Wausau earning an automatic bid to the championship game with a 4-0 pool play record and tie breaker criteria of head to head results against Lakeland and Appleton, Game 5 highlighted two 3-1 teams with a berth into the state championship game on the line. Based on performances through the tournament, Lakeland and Appleton appeared to be an even match on paper. The coin flip went Lakeland’s way for home field advantage. During warmups, the Lakeland boys were loose, having fun, but looking sharp, indicating this might be a good performance.

Joey Pflug took the mound and held Appleton National scoreless. Anthony Hall blasted a solo home run in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead. In the second, Appleton put up three runs, In the bottom of the second, Lakeland answered with Veium reaching on a base hit, then scoring later in the inning on a fielders choice off the bat of Pflug. Down by a run in the top of the third, Pflug blanked Appleton. Lakeland posted a run in the bottom of the third when Kade Scott scored off a double by Dakota Veium. The teams go scoreless through the fourth and fifth. Plug reached his 75 pitch limit in 4 2/3 innings, with 3 hits and 3 ER allowed and 6 strikeouts. Veium relieved Pflug for the end of the 4th half inning and continued pitching through the fifth and into the 6th. With two outs, two men on, Appleton hit a 3-run home run to go up 6-3. Veium regained his composure and followed that home run with a strikeout looking to end the half inning. In the bottom of the 6th, hopes were fading of a comeback after Veium flew out to center and Switalski was put out at second on a fielders choice by Weis, after being walked. Max Robson came on as a special pinch runner for Weis. Seth Braney singled to center to move Robson to third. Robson scored on a passed ball to make the score 6-4. Like a movie script acted out in real life, Joey Pflug crushes a 3-1 count fastball over the left center fence to tie the game at 6-6. Anthony Hall followed with a laser beam line drive back the pitcher, but the pitcher was able to get his glove on the ball for the third out.

Going to extra innings, Veium settled in, getting the first batter by strike out. The second batter lined to left Field, with Max Weis making a layout catch to retire the batter. Veium then struck out the third batter faced.

In the bottom of the 7th, Jake Briggs led off with a walk. Kade Scott followed with a single, With a runner on first and second, Nick Argersinger chopped a 2-0 count fastball over the pitchers head, advancing Briggs to third. While on course to beat out a throw from a hurried shortstop, the opposing player released the ball, sending it sailing over the first baseman’s head. Briggs would score the winning run on the overthrow. Lakeland wins 7-6 in seven innings.

Earlier in the day, Wausau closed out pool play with a 14-13 nail biter with West bend, to go 5-0 in pool play.

The championship game on Thursday, Aug. 6, had Wausau taking the home side with the coin flip. Lakeland started off with bang, with Pflug reaching on a single, then Anthony Hall driving him in with a double to left center. Adam Switalski started on the hill for Lakeland. Wausau answered with trading places doubles by the lead off, third and fourth batters, scoring two runs. But Switalski managed to get Brandt Rice chasing a high fastball to pop up on the infield, then striking out the 6th batter to end the threat and finish the first inning down 2-1.

Lakeland threatened in the second, but the half inning ended on a well executed double play. Wausau also threatened in the second, with a man on first and second, the two hole batter ripped a line drive to left, but a fine relay from Seth Brankey to Argersinger (3B) caught the runner in a rundown between third and home, with Argersinger able to catch him from behind to end the threat.

In the top of the third, with one out, Pflug doubled. Hall Singled. Brankey advanced Plfug, but Hall was out on a fielders choice. With two outs, Kade Scott doubles bringing in two runs. Argersinger followed with a single, scoring Scott. Lakeland jumped up to a 4-2 lead, but gave up a run in the bottom of the inning with a single and double by Wausau’s third and fourth hitters.

Lakeland went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fourth. Wausau also remained scoreless in the bottom of the fourth. Adam Switalski finished his fine pitching effort due to pitch count threshold, keeping Wausau’s big power off balance, in 3 2/3 innings, scattering 9 hits, 1 walk, with 4 strikeouts and 3 earned runs. Nick Argersinger came on in relief with a strikeout to end the inning.

The top of the fifth started off with a bang, with Anthony Hall doubling to deep right center. Max Robson followed with a perfect bunt to advance Hall and reach safely. Kade Scott scored hall on a sacrifice fly. Argersinger followed with and RBI single, then the flood gates opened. Veium singled. Switalski doubled, bringing in two. Weis singled. Schulz singled bringing in one, then Pflug doubled plating tow, before two strikeouts ended the rally. In all, 8 runs scored.

With a comfortable lead on 12-3, Argersinger baffled the opposition with 3 strikeouts in the bottom of the 5th.

In the top of the 6th, Kade Scott led off with an opposite field ground rule double, but would later be caught stealing at home. Lakeland added a run after Veium reached on a fielders choice, then advanced on wild pitches all the way around. In the bottom of the 6th, Argersinger struck out the first batter. The second batter faced hit a fly ball to shallow right field, but Jake Briggs tracked it down with a highlight reel diving catch behind the first baseman to get the second out. The third batter struck out trying to check his swing on an off speed pitch, securing the State Championship for Lakeland.

Through the course of the tournament, playing every day in districts and at State for a total of 14 games, each player was able to pitch. Each player played at least two innings and had an at bat in each game. Truly a full team effort and rich experience for the players to face adversity in losses, rally for come from behind wins and walk-off heroics. Also in the format of Little League rules with pitch count and rest restrictions, great team effort of pitching well with good defensive support enabled player eligibility to be maintained deep into the tournaments.

Players: Nick Argersinger, Joey Pflug, Anthony Hall, Kade Scott, Jake Briggs, Dakota Veium, Max Weis, Ian Witt, Adam Switalski, Seth Brankey, Scotty Schulz, Max Robson

Coaches: Andy Argersinger, Andy Briggs, John Switalski, Doug Scott, Chris Brankey.

Game Summary:

Game 1: Lakeland 14, Waupun 3
Game 2: Lakeland 12, West Bend 1
Game 3: Wausau 14, Lakeland 7
Game 4: Lakeland 17, Rice Lake 5
Game 5: Lakeland 7, Appleton National 6 (7 innings)
Championship: Lakeland 13, Wausau American 3

Wausau AM radio 1230 covered the championship game, with play by play by Chad Holmes. Audio archive is available on 1230wxco.com.

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One Comment

  1. Cam Pawlowski says:

    Thanks for such a great run down of the games, I’m a grandmother of one of the players and was not able to attend all the games. But after reading this, it filled in where I was not able to see the game. This team had a wonderful coaching team, each player was treated with respect and always encouragement. I didn’t always see that from some of the other coaches. Adults sometime forget these are young children. Fantastic job from the whole team. Team work pays off.

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