The Manawa Legion baseball team defeated Menominee 10-9 in a roller coaster-type game Tuesday, June 22.
Manawa 10
Menominee 9
After coming back from an early deficit, the Manawa team thought it was safe with an 8-3 lead going into the top of the sixth inning. That thought quickly left their minds as the visitors from Keshena came back strong, scoring three runs to tighten the score and eventually push the game into extra innings.
Austin Peterson started for Manawa at pitcher and was effective in preventing Menominee from putting together a big inning. Defensive gems from Danny Roenz, David Sell and Casey Reierson gave Peterson great support.
In the top of the sixth inning, Menominee mounted a rally against relief pitcher Robby Clary, who was suffering from a little rust due to lack of pitching innings. Roenz relieved Clary and retired two hitters to preserve an 8-6 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning Tyler Hass walked, David Sell singled and both advanced on Cory Sullivan’s sacrifice bunt. Hass scored on a fielder’s choice from Reierson to give Manawa a 9-6 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Menominee strung together two hits and a sacrifice fly to score two runs. Roenz was unable to get the third strike on a Menominee batter as he poked a single over second base to tie the score.
Reierson relieved and pitched a scoreless eighth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, Sell and Reierson walked. Sullivan sacrificed both runners and Nick Patri drove in Sell with an infield single.
“We are learning to play the whole game,” commented coach David Augustine. “Our kids need to develop a mentality that finishes a team off when it gets the chance. Menominee didn’t quit. We will be in many games like this during the season. It was a good win.”