Zondlo’s BABS bring home state championship trophy from Green Bay

STATE DARTBALL

The teams representing Zondlo’s Bar of Rib Lake had memorable weekends at the 81st annual Wisconsin Dartball State Tournament, held March 20-21 at Oneida Casino in Green Bay.

Zondlo’s BABS won the state championship in the 12-team women’s bracket with a perfect 3-0 record. The team consists of Brooke Klingbeil, Renee Zondlo, Pam Lugo, Robin Dunkel, Jenny Schrader, Michelle Mohr, Mandi Natzke, Andrea Buksa and Breanne Polacek.

Zondlo’s BABS opened the tournament with a twogame sweep of Bull Pen II of Forestville 8-1 and 6-3. In game one, a five-run sixth inning broke open what had been a 1-0 game. Zondlo, Dunkel and Mohr threw for three hits apiece. In game two, three runs on five hits in the third opened up a 4-0 lead. Klingbeil and Dunkel had three hits apiece.

The team was seeded in a spot where that win pushed it all the way to the semifinal round. There it swept another local squad, the Landmark Ladies of Athens by scores of 3-2 and 6-2. Two runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the sixth were just enough in the first game as Klingbeil and Schrader were both three for four. Landmark led game two 2-1 going into the top of the eighth when the Zondlo’s team put up five runs on six hits, including three triples.

The Landmark team, which included Nikki Wilcox, Megan Strebig, Jena O’Flanagan, Sandi Yanko, Marah Bartelt, Darla Myszka, Cheryl Schreiner, Nikki Hall and Julie Judnic later swept the third-place matchup with Corky’s Girls of Marinette 2-1, 3-1.

In the championship, Zondlo’s BABS came from behind to win the best-of-three matchup with LR Trophy of Kewaskum. After dropping the first game 3-1 in 10 innings, Zondlo’s won the next two 4-3 and 5-2. The 4-3 win turned on a two-run top of the eighth that was accomplished with a Zondlo single, a Dunkel triple and a go-ahead RBI single by Mohr.

Four runs on five hits in the bottom of the third led to the victory in the decisive third game. That made it 5-0 at the time.

Klingbeil led the team with a .438 average during the tournament (14 for 32). Schrader and Mohr were both 10 for 28 (.357).

The Zondlo’s Bar men’s team went 3-2 in the 32-team Class B tournament and finished second in the consolation bracket. The team consists of Joe Zocher, Kelly Polacek, Tyler Zocher, Jacob Borman, Joe Jones, Ray Judnic, Ryan Varner, Jeff Borman and Jeff Kuehne.

The team got off to a rough start when it was swept by Claws and Paws of Green Bay 7-2 and 10-1. But it stayed in the tournament by winning its next three consolation matches.

Zondlo’s beat Hallman Lindsay Paints of Valders 6-3, 6-4, 2-6. In game one, Zondlo’s built a 5-0 lead through two innings. Two runs in the top of the first, third and fifth innings created a 6-1 lead in game two. Jacob Borman was five for five with two RBIs in that one.

The team then beat M& R Station of Wausau, which included players from the Rib Lake area, 8-4 and 12-7. Zondlo built a 5-0 lead through two innings in game one and scored three runs in the first, fifth and eighth innings to win game two. Polacek and Tyler Zocher had four hits apiece. Zocher threw for three triples and four RBIs. Jack Buksa and Geno Polacek were three for five in game two for M& R.

Zondlo’s lost game one to Fec’s Two of Kenosha 3-2 but rebounded with 4-1 and 6-2 wins to reach the consolation final. A two-run top of the eighth clinched the 4-1 win, while two runs in the second and third innings pushed Zondlo’s out to a 5-1 lead in the 6-2 win. Joe Zocher was four for five with two RBIs.

The team’s run ended in a two-game sweep by Richy’s of Muskego. Richy’s took game one 8-5, breaking a 5-5 tie with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. A 6-4 win by Richy’s ended it in game two. Richy’s led 6-1 after the top of the fifth. Zondlo’s got two in the sixth and one in the seventh but got no closer.

Tyler Zocher finished the tournament with a .600 average (33 for 55), while Joe Zocher was at .421 (24 for 57) and Jones was at .404 (21 for 52).

In the weekend’s individual shoot-off, Jack Buksa won the Below .500 championship and Ryan Dunkel placed third. Both shot for M& R Station during the tournament.