Zaleski Sports
THREE LAKES – Wausau Newman Catholic rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to upend Three Lakes/Phelps 4-2 in a WIAA Division 4 baseball regional final Wednesday at Three Lakes High School.
The Bluejays took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and that was all they would get against Newman Catholic pitcher Josh Klement, who tossed six shutout innings after that and finished with four strikeouts, just one walk and only four hits allowed.
Newman Catholic cut the deficit in half with a run in the fifth as Jacob Pffifner had a double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Eli Gustafson.
The score held until the seventh when the Cardinals chased Three Lakes/Phelps starter Cole Melton and rallied to take the lead.
Pfiffner reached on an error, stole second and moved to third on another error on the play. Jared Kaufman entered on the mound for the Bluejays and Josh Klement greeted him with an RBI double to tie the game.
After a fly out, Tyler Ackermann singled home Klement with the go-ahead run and the Cardinals added an insurance run on an RBI single by Carson Rice with two outs.
Klement gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, but sent down the next three to preserve the win and send the Cardinals to sectionals on Tuesday at Gillett.
Newman Catholic (11-9) will play Rib Lake in the first game at 10 a.m., with Marshfield Columbus Catholic and Lena playing the second game at 1 p.m. The sectional championship game, with a berth in the WIAA state tournament on the line, will be at 4 p.m.
Cardinals 4, Bluejays 2
Newman Catholic 000 010 3 – 4 7 1
Three Lakes/Phelps 200 000 0 – 2 4 5
WP: Josh Klement. LP: Jared Kaufman.
SO: J. Klement 4; Cole Melton (6 inn.) 7, Kaufman (1 inn.) 0. BB: J. Klement 1; Melton 4, Kaufman 1.
Top hitters: NC, Jacob Pfiffner 2B, 2 runs; J. Klement 2B, RBI, run; Tyler Ackermann 2×4, RBI; Carson Rice 1×2, RBI. TLP, L.J. Terlizzi 1×3, RBI; Caden Wloslek RBI.
Records: Wausau Newman Catholic 11-9; Three Lakes/Phelps 10-5.
