By: Nick Witwer
GREEN BAY, WI – Blue Ribbons fans were given a gift thursday night as they witnessed a piece of history and a spectacular pitching performance in this year’s annual Christmas in July game at Joannes Stadium. Even Santa Claus him self made a visit all the way from the North Pole to witness Green Bay’s 4-1 win over the Sheboygan A’s.
The Blue Ribbons struck first in the bottom of the 1st inning. A one-out single and walk left runners on first and second with the always dangerous James Bornick coming to the plate. In what was a 13-pitch at bat, Bornick won the battle sending a single up the middle into centerfield and driving in the runner on second.
Sheboygan tied it in the second picking up their only run of the night on back to back hits to lead-off the inning. The tie wouldn’t stand for long as in the third inning Bornick would be up gain with a runner already on first base. A long drive deep into right center would give just enough time for the runner to score from first and give Bornick his second rbi of the night. With that second rbi, Bornick now becomes the Blue Ribbons single season rbi leader.
Neither team would push across anymore runs until the 8th inning with both team’s starting pitching locking down the offense in the middle innings. In the bottom of the 8th it was the Blue Ribbons who were able to add two more insurance runs. Ashton Long led off with a walk and was substituted for Tyler Blum on the base paths. The pinch runner turned out to be successful as Blum would score from first on a Matt Perry double. A two-out single from Brendan Willadsen would drive in the Ribbons fourth and final run as Green Bay beats Sheboygan 4-1.
At the plate for the Blue Ribbons, Ethan Habetler made it on base three times on a walk, a hit by pitch, and a single. James Bornick went 3-4 with an rbi single in the first, a history making rbi double in the third, and a single and stolen base in the sixth.
On the mound, the Blue Ribbons relied on only the arm of Quinn Falish. The De Pere product and Michigan State commit went a full nine innings throwing giving up just one run on one hit and walking one batter while striking out 17 others.
The win for the Blue Ribbons ties the teams season record for wins as the team sits at a record of 23-19. It also makes Green Bay 4-1 against Sheboygan on the year all while outscoring the A’s 31-5. The Blue Ribbons will look to continue their momentum into the weekend as they wrap up WSL play with four games in two days against the Kenosha Kings. First pitch of Saturday’s double header is scheduled for 4 p.m.