GREEN BAY, Wis. (Nick Witwer) – The Green Bay Blue Ribbons headed into Appleton Thursday night looking to snap an early season two-game losing streak. 15 walks, 11 hits, and 14 runs later, the Blue Ribbons got back into the win column with a big weekend of baseball on tap.
Early on, the game looked like it might get out of reach for the Blue Ribbons as the Appleton Legends were able to take advantage of a dropped third strike and a couple walks followed by a few key singles that turned into a four-run second inning.
Green Bay would waste no time in fighting back as they would start the top of the third with back-to-back leadoff walks. A ground out would give Green Bay runners on the corners with just one out. Making his season debut, newcomer Hunter Larson came through with an RBI single to give the Blue Ribbons their first run of the day. Green Bay would then load the bases on a hit by pitch before scoring two more runs in the inning on two separate passed balls.
While the legends would fail to score again in this one, the Blue Ribbons would start the top of the fourth inning similar to the top of the third, leading off with three straight walks. A sacrifice fly from James Bornick and a sacrifice fly by Ethan Habetler would give Green Bay their first lead of the day now up 5-4.
In the following inning, Green Bay would pour it on. With bases once again loaded with just one out, the next three at bats, a double from Payton Kohnle, a single from Bornick, and a double from Larson, would plate 5 runs. Another run would be added later in the inning on yet another pitch that got away from the Legends catcher giving the Blue Ribbons an 11-4 lead and completing a six-run fifth inning.
In the eighth inning, a two-out single from Bornick would bring in his fourth RBI of the day. Then in the ninth, Green Bay would tack on two more runs off a Jake Petasek sacrifice fly to center field and an RBI single from Landen Lozier for the 14-4 win.
Lot’s of action at the plate for Green Bay Thursday night. Payton Kohnle reached base six times going 3-4 with a double, two RBIs, three walks and one run scored. James Bornick went 2-6 and finished with two runs scored and four RBIs. In his season debut, Hunter Larson went 2-2 with two RBIs, two walks and two runs scored. Landen Lozier went 1-3 with one RBI, three walks, and three runs scored. Jake Petasek went 1-3 with one RBI, one walk, and two runs scored. In total, Green Bay battered Appleton’s pitching for 14 runs on 11 hits with 15 walks.
On the mound, Tanner Alsteen got the winning start going five innings in which he gave up four unearned runs on five hits while also striking out three batters. Alex Petasek had a solid relief outing going for two scoreless innings giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out two batters. Kaden Krueger had a dominant eighth inning in which he gave up one walk and struck out two batters looking. Wyatt Fischer got the go in the ninth and also gave up one walk while striking out two batters to end the night.
The Blue Ribbons will now look to ride this momentum into the weekend as they’ll head to Sheboygan on Saturday and Sunday for the Wisconsin State League 5th Game Challenge.
