Twins clinch No. 1 seed

ASHTON – Heading in the weekend, the Sauk Prairie Twins were in position to determine their own destiny in the upcoming Home Talent League Northern Section playoffs. First, the Twins needed to win a road game at Ashton on Saturday — a makeup game from May 26 that was postponed due to inclement weather. Then, Sauk Prairie needed to defeat visiting Waunakee — a team that had knocked it out of the playoffs and advanced to the HTL Final Four in 2023 — in its final home game of the regular season. Despite missing several starters, the Twins passed their two tests with flying colors. Sauk Prairie survived a wild game at Ashton, securing a hard-fought 16-10 victory over the host A’s on a steamy Saturday at their own ‘Field of Dreams.’ The Twins then defeated Waunakee, 6-4, at Chuck Hall Memorial Field on a sun-splashed Sunday afternoon to secure the Northern Section regular season title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. “We had the league MVP, Mike Jordahl, gone all weekend and we played really good teams and got two wins,” Sauk Prairie player/manager Lucas Koenig said.  Koenig said what made the victories even more satisfying was that it was a total team effort. “(Dylan) Slotty is a guy who is a veteran and has been a starter for many years. He’s not always starting for us now, but he’s a good ballplayer,” Koenig said. “Chucky Schara will play anywhere for us. Benjamin (Lenerz) and (Ty) Brisky, (Tyler) Prime, are guys who have started a lot of Home Talent games for us. “It’s great having those veteran guys where you know they’re up for the challenge and ready to help the team.”  Right-hander Noah Frey, who started on the mound against Waunakee and delivered six strong innings, agreed. “It was a feel-good story,” Frey said. “It gives us more confidence going into the playoffs. You’ve got to beat the best to be the best. If we can keep doing that, it could be a special ending to the season.”  Lucas Koenig said the Twins (10-1) showed why they have the best record in the Northern Section. “With both of us having double weekends and both of us being short-handed and missing some guys, it tested our depth,” Lucas Koenig said of the matchup with Ashton. “It was still two pretty good hitting teams, and it was a good day to hit. Both teams put runners on, and the pitchers had trouble controlling the strike zone, and that made for some big innings. It was a unique day.” No kidding. In the nearly 3 ½ hour marathon, Sauk Prairie and Ashton combined for 26 runs on 25 hits with seven errors and 32 runners left on base. It was an extremely rough day for the eight pitchers in the game, who combined to allow 19 walks and hit 10 batters.  “We knew we were going to have some guys out,” said Ashton player/manager Logan Ziegler, who started in center field and finished 2-for-5, including a double. “But we’ve had some injuries and you’ve just got to put your best roster out there. I’m proud of how they played.” The loss dropped Ashton to 8-3 but kept alive its slim hopes of potentially hosting the first two rounds of the playoffs. “I really appreciated my team’s efforts,” Ziegler said. “We only had 10 guys. They all stepped up, played their hearts out and never gave up. That’s what you love to see as a coach.” Sauk Prairie took advantage of some early control issues for Ashton starter Carson Possehl, who walked three and hit a batter in the top of the first inning. The Twins pushed four runs across with Spencer Alisch and Ty Brisky each delivering RBI singles, while Benjamin Lenerz capped the inning with a two-run double. Alisch was 3-for-6 with three runs scored and was also hit by a pitch, while Brisky went 4-for-7 with one run and three RBI to pace Sauk Prairie’s 15-hit attack. “I felt like the first inning, we were getting a lot of full counts, drawing a lot of walks,” Brisky said. “I had a full count and got a swinging bunt somehow down the line. It was the next guy up, the next guy on. We moved pretty well through the lineup, and it worked out well after that.” However, Ashton quickly countered, cutting its early deficit in half in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Luke Ballweg reached on an infield single and Dylan Carrington drew a walk. One out later, Liam Belleveau singled to left field to score Ballweg.  Treyden Hewuse then reached on an infield single, which scored Carrington to pull Ashton within 4-2. “We know there’s no clock in this sport, fortunately,” Carrington said. “We’ve had a ton of barnburners against those guys in years prior. So, both teams know that it’s never over until that last out is recorded.” Ashton pulld even with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Darren Ballweg drew a leadoff walk to chase Sauk Prairie left-handed starter Austin Pagel. After Twins’ reliever Connor Leister hit Keegan Fleischman with a pitch, Luke Ballweg walked to load the bases. Carrington then ripped a two-run single to center field to tie the game at 4-4. But Leister, who arrived in Ashton after a work shift in Portage that began at 6 a.m., allowed just two runs on five hits over the ensuing five innings to help the Twins take control. “The command just wasn’t there,” Lucas Koenig said of Pagel, who threw 33 pitches in his brief one-inning stint. “So, with Connor here, when the command’s not there, let’s go to the horse. He likes pitching here and has confidence on the mound. It felt good to get a chunk of innings out of Connor.” Leister said it was like just another day at the office for him “You know the guys will hit and will play defense,” he said. “I just have to throw strikes. They make it pretty easy for you.” Sauk Prairie grabbed the lead for good with four runs in the top of the third inning. Sam Koenig came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, and Ziegler said he knew the A’s were in trouble. “It’s not a situation you like being in, the three hole hitter having the bases loaded,” he said. Koenig then launched a grand slam over the center field fence off a 1-0 fastball to stake Sauk Prairie to an 8-4 lead it would never relinquish. “Sam’s swing looked really good today,” Lucas Koenig said. “It’s nice to get those positive results on those swings, too. Sometimes it doesn’t always happen.” Sam Koenig, who also added an RBI double in the sixth inning, finished with a team-best five runs batted in. “I’m trying to make the most of the opportunity,” said Sam Koenig, who reached base five times, including two walks and a hit by pitch. “It was a spot where we needed someone to come through. I was glad I was able to get the pitch to handle it.” Belleveau added a solo home run in the fourth inning, and Luke Ballweg singled and eventually scored on an error in the bottom of the sixth inning to offset solo runs for Sauk Prairie in the fifth and sixth innings. Sauk Prairie added four runs in the eighth inning, and Lucas Koenig blasted a two-run home run in the ninth inning to push the Twins’ lead up to 16-6. Lucas Koenig was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three runs batted in. He also drew two walks and was twice hit by a pitch. Carrington capped his own monster day at the plate with a grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning before Alisch was able to slam the door on Ashton’s last gasp rally. Lucas Koenig said the Twins’ depth bodes well for a long playoff run. “It helps bring team chemistry together when everyone has an opportunity to really contribute and feel valued,” Koenig said. “As we get to the playoffs, some guys won’t see as much of the field. But they know that they are part of it, and it builds that strong team bond that I think is really, important. “Being ready to contribute and knowing that they are a big part of this makes the wins more satisfying. It makes it more fun when everyone has a chance to contribute.” • Sauk Prairie 6, Waunakee 4 — Quinn Baier had two hits, while Spencer Alisch drove in two runs to spark the host Twins to a win on Sunday. Noah Frey tossed six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts to pick up the win. Baier also pitched the final three innings and allowed one earned run on seven hits with one walk and three strikeouts to record the save. “It went by the plan,” Twins’ manager Lucas Koenig said. “We needed them to fill all nine (innings), and they did.” Sauk Prairie was outhit, 14-3, but the Twins took advantage of seven walks and two Waunakee errors to pull out the victory. Shortstop Jarrett Fueger and right fielder Henry Pitsch each had four hits for Waunakee (5-5). Sauk Prairie responded with a flawless defensive effort that included third baseman Noah Carlson, second baseman Dylan Slotty, right fielder Benjamin Lenerz and first baseman Sam Koenig all making sterling plays. Baier said Frey, who threw 109 pitches, 71 for strikes, also had another stellar performance. “He just does his thing,” Baier said of Frey. “He’s always throwing strikes and making them put the ball in play. He had a good defense behind him. Then I came in and just threw strikes today. That’s what I’ve been focusing on.  “That was fun. It will give us a lot of momentum. This is a great team, and we have a great record this year. It will be hard to beat us if we keep doing what we’re doing.” • Night League: Sauk Prairie 11, Wisconsin Dells 5 — Benjamin Lenerz drove in three runs, and Ty Brisky tossed six innings to pick up the win in a Night League game last Thursday. • On deck: Sauk Prairie hosts Plain in a Night League game on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Twins then travel to Plain for their final Sunday League game of the regular season at 1 p.m.   July 13 Sauk Prairie 16, Ashton 10 Sauk ..… 404 011 042 – 16 15 4 Ashton ... 220 101 004 – 10 10 3 Pitchers (ip-h-er-so-bb) – SP: Austin Pagel (1-2-3-2-1-3), Connor Leister (W: 6-5-3-2-4-2), Adam Ballweg (1-0-0-0-0-2), Spencer Alisch (1-3-4-4-1-1). A: Carson Possehl (L: 2.2-5-8-8-4-6), Matt Ballweg (3.1-5-2-1-3-4), Logan Kalscbeur (1.2-4-4-4-0-0), Logan Fleischman (1-1-2-2-3-1). Leading hitters – SP: Ty Brisky 4x7; Spencer Alisch 3x6; Sam Koenig 2x4 (2B), (HR); Dylan Slotty 2x5; Lucas Koenig 2x3 (HR), Benjamin Lenerz (2B), Alex Mayer (2B). A: Liam Belleveau 2x5 (HR); Logan Ziegler 2x5; Dylan Carrington 2x4 (HR).    July 14 Sauk Prairie 6, Waunakee 4 Waun .....  020 001 010 – 4 14 2 Sauk ....… 200 130 040 – 6  3  0 Pitchers (ip-h-er-so-bb) – W: Zach Johnson (L: 4-2-3-2-2-4), Blake Bieri (1-1-3-0-1-2), Dayne Oleson (1-0-0-0-4-1), Andy Nordloh (2-1-0-0-2-0). SP: Noah Frey (W: 6-7-3-3-6-2), Quinn Baier (S: 3-7-1-1-3-0). Leading hitters – W: Jarrett Fueger 4x5 (2-2B); Henry Pitsch 4x4; Ryne Fueger 2x4 (2B); Zach Johnson 2x4. SP: Quinn Baier 2x4.