By: Brad Krause
GREEN BAY, WI – A four-run seventh inning helped break open a 3-3 tie as the Blue Ribbons improved their season record to 14-11 with an 8-3 win over the Manitowoc Bandits on Friday night.
The Bandits grabbed an early 1-0 lead, but the Ribbons answered with a run in the bottom half of the first, when left fielder Garrett Foth drew a bases loaded walk to score shortstop Jake Petasek.
Tied 1-1 in the fourth, Green Bay claimed their first lead of the game when designated hitter Jimmy Kirkish delivered a two-out RBI single, and catcher Payton Danen followed with another base hit to make it 3-1.
The Bandits would fight back with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings to tie the game, but the Ribbons came out swinging following the stretch, with Kirkish leading off the inning with a triple, and first baseman Brendan Willadsen following with a double to re-claim the lead.
That would be all the Green Bay pitching staff would need, but the Ribbons continued to tack on insurance runs, scoring four in the seventh and one more in the eighth.
Matt Perry got the start and went 4.1 innings, allowing just two unearned runs. Quinn Falish followed with 3.2 innings of one-run ball, and Connor Medvecz came on to hurl a scoreless ninth to preserve the victory.
Kirkish led the offense, going 3-for-4, while Willadsen and Petasek each contributed multi-hit games as well.
The Blue Ribbons wrap up the first half of the season with a doubleheader on Saturday against the Burlington Barons, before a well-deserved four-day break to enjoy the long July 4th weekend. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 4:00 PM.
