Twins just one win from a title

Back in 1966, the price of gas was $0.32 per gallon. Bonanza was the top-rated television show in the country and ‘California Dreamin’” by the Mamas & Papas was the No. 1 song of the year. That also marked the last time Sauk Prairie won the Home Talent League baseball championship. And while a lot has changed over the past 58 years, the Twins are hoping for a repeat of 1966. Sauk Prairie defeated Sun Prairie, 3-1, Sunday and now sits one win away from its first HTL championship in nearly six decades. The Twins are now 2-0 in the Final Four and will travel to Verona — which is also 2-0 — Sunday at 1 p.m. The winner of the game will capture the HTL championship. Sauk Prairie put itself in position to make history with a terrific win at Sun Prairie. Connor Leister threw 6 1/3 innings and picked up the win, while Sam Koenig recorded the final eight outs and notched a save. Leister allowed five hits and one run while walking two and striking out one. Koenig worked 2 2/3 innings, gave up just one hit, no runs and struck out one. Sauk Prairie struck for two runs in the top of the first to grab a 2-0 lead. Quinn Baier led off the game with a base hit to left. Mike Jordahl followed with a single to right, and when the right fielder misplayed the ball, Baier scored and Jordahl wound up at third. Sam Koenig followed with a sacrifice fly to right giving the Twins a 2-0 lead. Sun Prairie scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the first. And it stayed that way until the fifth when the Twins added an insurance run. Elliot Dederich led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a passed ball. Then with one out, Jordahl had a sacrifice fly to right that plated Dederich. Dederich and Koenig each collected two hits and doubled to lead the Twins’ offense. Now it’s off to Verona where Sauk Prairie aims for its first title in nearly six decades.