Sheboygan, Wis. (Nick Witwer) – After winning two big games on Saturday in West Allis against the reigning Wisconsin State League champions, the Green Bay Blue Ribbons were looking to keep the good times rolling as they traveled to Sheboygan for another double-header on Sunday.
In game one against the A’s, self-inflicted wounds would play a major role in giving Sheboygan the early 4-1 lead. In the fourth inning, the course of the game noticeably started to change as the Blue Ribbons would fight back and pick up two more runs of their own on a one-out double from right fielder Ashton Long.
Down now by just a single run, Green Bay’s offensive barrage would continue throughout the rest of the game. In the fifth inning, catcher Brady LaViolette hit a ball over the wall in left field on a 3-0 count to plate three runs.
In the sixth inning, a throwing error from Sheboygan would allow two more runners to score, and for good measure, in the seventh inning, a double from Eason Hurd moved the Blue Ribbons run total up to 10. Sheboygan made things interesting in the bottom of the inning but were limited to just two runs, locking in the 10-6 victory.
At the plate for Green Bay, Brady LaViolette led the charge going 2-2 with a home run, three RBIs, three runs, and two walks. Eason Hurd was 2-5 with a run scored and two RBIs. Jake Petasek was 1-4 with an RBI. Ashton Long was 2-3 with two RBIs.
On the mound, Reece Piontek got the win in a five and two thirds outing that finished with 4 runs scored (0 earned) on eight hits and six walks while also striking out six batters. Logan Paplham finished the game with one and one third of an inning of relief work allowing just two runs on one hit.
In game two, the Blue Ribbons looked to clean up some of the mistakes made in game one as they would be tested in a matchup against the 2022 and 2023 pitcher of the year Jared Reklaitis.
In what became a pitchers duel, Green Bay would score the first runs of the game, plating two in the third inning off an Eason Hurd single. The Blue Ribbons would score again in the fifth inning on a fielder’s choice giving them a three run lead. That was more than enough as the A’s failed to score any runs at all in what was a 3-0 victory for Green Bay.
At the plate in game two, Eason Hurd was the main part of Green Bay’s offense going 1-3 with all three of the team’s RBIs, Brendan Willadsen went 2-3 with two runs scored, and while it won’t be seen on the box score, it should be mentioned that Garret Foth had two key sacrifice bunts that set up all three of runs.
On the mound, just one guy was needed as Owen Deprez dominated the A’s lineup going the full seven innings allowing no runs one four hits while walking three batters and striking out nine.
The Blue Ribbons now find themselves riding high on a five-game win streak as they’ll return to Joannes this week for a three-game homestand in which they’ll face Appleton on Tuesday, Menasha on Wednesday, and Denmark on Thursday.
