By: Nick Witwer
GREEN BAY, WI – The Green Bay Blue Ribbons returned to Joannes Stadium Tuesday night after a hard fought weekend in Lombard. The Green Bay Offense was quiet earlyon against the Menash Macs pitching staff, but woke up and striked when it mattered most.
Menasha would take the lead early in the top of the first after a bases-loaded hit batter would bring in the game first run. The Macs would add another run in the third on a pick off attempt where the runner o third base reached the plate before the runner at first was eventually called out. A third run would be added in the top f the fifth inning leaving the Blue Ribbons in a 3-0 hole.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Green Bay started to eat at the Menasha lead. Bryson Webb hit a key one-out double before taking third on a wild pitch. Jake Petasek would ground out then ground out to second base but it did just enough to bring Webb home from third. The Blue Ribbons would then pull themselves within a run in the bottom of the sixth after the Ribbons home run leader, James Bornick, hit a lead-off homerun out to the deck in right field making the score 3-2 heading into the seventh inning.
In the bootom of the seventh, Ashton Long would lead off with a long double that just barely stayed in the park. Tyler Blum would then pinch run for Long and advance to third base on another wild pitch. A sacrifice fly from catcher Steven Russell was ust deep enough for Blum to score and tie the ball game up at 3-3. The inning wouldn’t stop there for the Green Bay offense as a single and a pair of walks would load up the bases with two outs for Ribbons veteran Ethan Habetler. Habetler would, as they say, ‘take one for the team’ as the first pitch of the at bat hit him to bring in a run and give the Blue Ribbons their first lead of the day.
The lead didn’t last long though as the Macs were able to lead of the eight ining with back-to-back hits that drove in a run once again tying up the score. In the ninth inning, a lead-off triple had the Macs threatening to take the lead. A great throw on a fielders choice by third baseman Jake Petasek would quickly put an end to the threat as the runner was called out on a play at the plate. That play proved to be a massive moment as it kept the game tied and forced the game into extra innings.
In the top of the tenth, with the California rule in place, Menasha’s automatic runner tried to steal third and failed as an excellent throw from Steven Russell caught the runner in plenty of time. The base running mistake would take the game to the bottom of the inning still tied at 4. Etahn Habetler would be the automatic runner for Green Bay and a sacrifice bunt to start the innig woud have the winning run 90 feet away with just one out. In the next at bat, it was the long time Blue Ribbons Griffin Summers playing the hero as he singled nto left field and platted the winning run giving Green Bay the 5-4 victory.
At the plate for the Ribbons, Bryson Webb reached base three times with a double, a single, a walk and two runs scored. Jake Petasek also reached base three times with two singles, a walk, and an rbi. James Bornick hit another big home run. And, of course, Ethan Habetler was the games winning run and was hit in by Griffin Summers.
In the field, Trent Van Ess flashed his defensive skills making a number of key outs in Centerfield. Jake Petasek and Steven Russell both made critical throws to keep the Menasha offense at bay.
On the mound for the Ribbons, Matt Perry got the start going five innings giving up three runs, two earned, while giving up three hits, walking three batters, and striking out five. Gavin Rusch went two and two thirds of an inning giving up just one run on three hits and striking out two batters. Connor Medvecz got an important out n the eight inning to protect the tie game. Logan Lange was the night’s winning pitcher going for two scorless innings, allowing just one hit while walking one batter and striking out another.
The win moves the Blue Ribbons to 7-3 in NEWBL play and puts them alone by half a game at the top of the standing. The Blue Ribbons will be back again Wednesday night at Joannes for more NEWBL action against the Appleton Legends. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
