June 15, 2021 – Kewaskum, WI – As the stakes ramp up in the WIAA Division 2 baseball playoffs, each moment and play becomes that much more critical.
For Kewaskum, things started the best they could in front of their home crowd, scoring two runs in the first inning and holding Plymouth scoreless in its first two innings at bat.
However, Plymouth would find form at the plate, catalyzed by junior Dylan Sass who knocked a two RBI single to tie the game 2-2.
The bats for Kewaskum then went cold and the Indians left four runners on base in between the second and fourth innings.
In the fifth inning Plymouth was able to get another monster hit from Sass, who gave his team the lead off a two RBI triple, while also scoring a run himself after an RBI single from junior Mason Hendrickson.
Despite being down 5-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Kewaskum held their heads high and pulled off an incredible rally, with an RBI single from senior Nathan Herber, an RBI double from junior Jacob Brzozowski, a two run RBI double from senior and starting pitcher Cale Fransen, and one final run scored off an error at first base.
Kewaskum would go to hold on to a 6-5 lead by retiring Plymouth’s side in the seventh inning to win the game.
Fransen pitched five innings as the starter for Kewaskum, striking out four, walking three, and allowing five of Plymouth’s hits and runs.
Fransen said, “I don’t get nervous,” when asked about his performance at the plate and mound, even when the team seemed to be struggling.
Fransen took pride in being able to have a great performance for his fellow seniors.
Regarding his future, Fransen is going to Findlandia University to play baseball and study marketing.
Brzozowski pitched the final two innings for Kewaskum, earning the winning decision and striking out one batter.
Senior Kody Wagner was Plymouth’s starting pitcher and looked to be poised to go the full game before Kewaskum’s sixth inning rally. As such he gets the stuck with the unfortunate loss, striking out three batters while walking four, and giving up six hits and five runs (four earned).
Kewaskum will host Campbellsport in a Regional Final on Wednesday, June 16 at 4:45 p.m.
Campbellsport upset No. 1 seed Waupun to advance to this game. The winner of this game wins its Regional bracket, but it will host the opening round of the Sectionals portion of the tournament at Kewaskum (regardless of the winner) on Tuesday, June 22 at 10 a.m.