By: Nick Witwer
GREEN BAY, WI – The Green Bay Blue Ribbons were back at Joannes Wednesday night with some special guests in attendance as the team held its annual First Responders Night. Prior to the game against the Greenville Stars, members from the Green Bay Police Department, the Green Bay Metro Fire Department, and Ashwaubenon Public Safety showed up in their emergency vehicles and got to throw out honorary first pitches. The game itself was a close, hard-fought game until a record-breaking home run would put it away for the Blue Ribbons as they won 11-5.
Greenville was able to score first on the night after a single, a pair of stolen bases, and an error would allow one run to cross the plate. Green Bay immediately answered back as second baseman, Landon Lozier would lead off with a first-pitch double. A single in the next at-bat from Centerfielder Tyler Blum would be enough to score Lozier and get the game tied at 1.
After not much trouble from the Stars lineup in the second inning, the Blue Ribbons would take advantage of some mistakes up at the plate. Three four walks, a single, and a fielders choice would help to bring in three more runs as the Blue Ribbons took the 4-1 lead.
In the top of the third, after loading the bases, a two-out triple would plate three Greenville runs once again evening the score. Not much action along the base paths would happen again until the home half of the 5th. They say that hitting is contagious and that was certainly the case as Ashton Long would start things off with a single. An error and another single would bring 2nd year Blue Ribbon Brendan Willadsen to the plate. On the second pitch of the at-bat, Willadsen sent a line drive to the wall in right-center that allowed two runs, almost three, to score and give the Ribbons a 6-4 lead.
The Stars were able to add one more run making it a 6-5 game entering the bottom of the 8th inning. A walk to Willadsen, his third time on base, would be the beginning of a crucial offensive run. Willadsen would score on the next at-bat after a wild pitch moved him to second base and a Garrett Foth single brought home. Griffin Summers would then hit a single to move Foth to third before allowing himself to be caught stealing so that Foth could take home plate. A pair of walks would then bring up James Bornick for his last at-bat of the night. Bornick would let it rip on the second pitch he saw and just barely get the ball into the home run deck in right field. The home run not only sealed the 11-5 win for the Blue Ribbons but also moves Bornick to the top of the leaderboard in Blue Ribbons’ career home runs.
Outside of Bornick’s historic night, Landon Lozier, Brendan Willadsen, and Griffin Summers all reached base three times. On the mound, Isaiah Grimm would get the win giving up just one run in four relief innings pitched and recording three strikeouts. Zach Lordo and Liam Jones would both have an inning of solid work to end the game. Lordo gave up just one hit and recorded one strikeout in the 8th while Jones went three up and three down in the 9th.
The Blue Ribbons will look to keep the winning ways going as they head to Menasha Thursday night before returning home over the weekend for four games against the Addison Braves.
