Seventh-inning rally sparks Wauwatosa East over West, 5-4

Wauwatosa East rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning and then held off Wauwatosa West and came away with a thrilling 5-4 victory on June 25 at Breitlow Field in the annual Battle of Tosa nonconference game.

"I could say it's just another game, but last week we really struggled," West coach Jason Borski said. "We really wanted this game to finish out the week nicely."

Obviously, East coach Pete Schwichtenberg was feeling a little more upbeat afterward.

"It was huge because it's also a regional game (for seeding)," he pointed out. "We need to keep rolling, keep rolling; it was huge for the momentum to keep carrying through. Coming back in the end is something that was really huge. It kind of gives us our fight going into some big games this week."

East led 1-0 after one inning, and West tied it in the second. East took a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning, but West scored twice in the fifth for a 3-2 advantage. East scored three times in the seventh for a 5-3 lead and then held off the Trojans, who added a run and had the tying run on second when the game ended.

Comeback kids

Trailing, 3-2, the Red Raiders got back-to-back doubles by Scallon and Michaelis to lead off the seventh and tie the game. Ryan Greener then came in and replaced a tiring Jushka. Plaisted singled to left, moving Michaelis to third. Mason then hit a deep fly ball to center field, which Greenberg raced down, but Michaelis scored the lead run on the play.

After a foul out to the catcher, Sean Murphy singled to right field; when the ball was misplayed, Plaisted came out and scored the third run of the inning, which eventually turned out to be the winning run.

That's because the Trojans came out swinging in the bottom of the inning off reliever Isaac Martin. Greenberg was safe when second baseman Blake Krazter was handcuffed by his hard-hit ball. Morgan then hit a ball that Kratzer batted down and kept it in the infield.

Fish sacrificed the runners over, and Jushka hit a ball down the left field line that Michaelis snagged over his shoulder for the second out. Greenberg scored on the play. Hronek then grounded out to first to end the game.

Quick lead

The Red Raiders scored first, when catcher Ricky Serrano singled. Then, pitcher Sean Denny was safe on an error by the leftfielder. Dan Scallon ripped a single to center, loading the bases.

Michaelis hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Zohr. Greenberg's rifle throw from center to catcher Fish couldn't catch Martin, but Fish then threw a bullet to Hronek at third base and got Lockhart trying to go to third.

With two outs, starter Will Jushka then walked Plaisted, and both Plaisted and Scallon moved up a base on a wild pitch. Another short wild pitch moved the speedy Scallon to third, but Jushka fanned Jeff Mason for the final out.

West rallies

Jushka led off the second with a single to left, but courtesy runner Sam Bauer was thrown out at second trying to steal by Serrano. Hronek then walked and stole second after a strikeout; Logan Scharf was safe on an error on the third baseman; and Hronek came around and scored the tying run.

The Red Raiders took the lead when Denny singled to left with two outs in the fourth, and Scallon ripped a triple to left center, scoring courtesy runner Lockhart for a 2-1 advantage.

That's the way the score stood until West put two runs on the board in the fifth. Leroy Coleman dropped a single into left field and went to second on a wild pitch. After a pop-up out, JJ Morgan singled to left, moving Coleman to third. Morgan then stole second, and when the ball hit off the second baseman's glove and went into right field, Coleman scored to tie the game up, 2-2. Morgan went to third on the error and then scored on a wild pitch to put West on top.

Scallon had a single, double triple and a walk.