Late rally spoils Flames’ upset bid
PLYMOUTH – The Plymouth Flames played one of their best games in a tough season but were unable to close out the deal against Cedarburg which scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning to earn a key 6-5 win here Sunday afternoon.
Cedarburg, the defending Land O’ Lakes Baseball League grand champion, assumed sole possession of first place in the Northern Division – improving to 14-4. Second-place Port Washington was a half-game back at 13-4 going into a makeup game Monday, Aug. 10 against Howards Grove.
Port Washington and the Mercs will tie for first if the Lakers defeat Howards. If there’s a tie, the teams would meet in a one-game playoff Saturday to determine the regular-season champion.
The Flames finished 5-13 in the division and fell to 7-18 overall. Plymouth will host the West Bend Benders in a play-in game Wednesday night to determine who will compete in the division tournament. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Loebe Field.
Plymouth led 5-0 going into the ninth, keyed by clutch hitting, solid defense and a gutty pitching performance by Chad Nickolai. The Mercs combined seven hits, a walk and two sacrifice flies in the ninth to stun Plymouth. John Vandenberg’s two-run single gave the Mercs a 6-5 lead.
Flame player-manager Rick Meyer, who was pressed into service as the designated hitter because the Flames were short-handed, was encouraged with his ballclub’s showing.
“This game showed that we can play with anyone,” said Meyer who had two hits.
“It was frustrating [losing]. They hit the ball and did what they had to do.
“Chad threw very well and had a solid defense behind him. He changed speeds and mixed it up,” Meyer noted.
Nickolai allowed 14 hits but was able to wiggled out of trouble until the ninth. The Mercs left eight runners on through eight innings and 10 for the game.
He walked three, struck out five and gave up six earned runs.
The Flames took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on Meyer’s two-out line single. Plymouth made it 4-0 in the sixth – scoring on a passed ball, Dusty Medved’s bases-loaded walk and Evan Walsh’s sacrifice fly.
The Flames hiked their lead to 5-0 in the eighth when Butch Cain hit a sacrifice fly.
Plymouth was held to only five hits but was effective in advancing runners with sacrifice bunts, and was helped by a Merc error that led to the run in the fifth.
Meyer and Paul Gloede paced the Flames at the plate with two hits apiece. Cedarburg was led by Ross Zahour and Matt Gilbertson with three hits each.
Veteran hurler Steve Hopfensperger picked up the win in relief. He surrendered one run (earned) on two hits with zero walks and two strikeouts in three frames.
The Plymouth-West Bend winner advances to the first round of the division tourney Saturday at 1 p.m. at the No. 2 seed which will be Cedarburg or Port Washington.
| BASEBALL
|
| CEDARBURG 6 |
| FLAMES 5 |
Score by Innings Cedarburg…….....000 000 006 – 6 14 2 Flames………..…..000 013 010 – 5 5 1
Joe Daniels, Steve Hopfensperger (7) and John Regnitz; Chad Nickolai and Dusty Medved. W – Hopfensperger. L – Nickolai, 2-2.
