The Blue Ribbons were back in action on Sunday afternoon, splitting a pair of games in the Wisconsin State League Challenge, falling to Lombard 9-1, before bouncing back to trounce the Addison Braves by a score of 14-2.
Shoddy defense and sleeping bats did in Greater Green Bay in the opening game on Sunday, as they didn’t manage a hit until a one-out single from Tyler Blum in the bottom of the seventh. They managed to push a run across when Blum scored on a single by Josh Gates, but it proved to be too little, too late.
Nick Klavekoske was the tough-luck loser, despite pitching well. He allowed just one earned run and struck out six, but three Green Bay errors led to a lot of extra pitchers for the right-hander.
Game two went much better for the Ribbons. Despite falling behind early, Greater Green Bay answered back with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Trent Van Ess and Blum picked up back-to-back singles to start the inning, and Blum came in to score on a sac fly by Griffin Summers. Two batters later, Jonah Landowski lifted another sacrifice fly to left, driving in Van Ess to put the Ribbons up 2-1.
They broke things open in the fourth, plating five runs with hits coming from Ethan Habetler, Van Ess and Blum. Addison scored one run in their half of the inning, but the Ribbons carried a 7-2 lead into the sixth.
Green Bay put another crooked number on the board in the sixth, sending 13 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs. Blum and Summers each doubled to start the inning, while Van Ess and Blake Wallenfang each added a single.
Landowski got the start on the mound and picked up the win, going five innings and striking out eight. Liam Jones closed things out with a scoreless ninth. Blum finished 3-for-4 with a double, while Van Ess also contributed three hits.
