GILMAN BASEBALL - Bucs sink Pirate baseball in last inning
GILMAN BASEBALL
The Gilman Pirates were two outs away from a non-conference win Friday, but that’s when seven straight Prentice Buccaneers reached base, setting the stage for an eight-run rally that pushed the Bucs to a 10-3 win.
Gilman had turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead with a rally in the bottom of the fifth. Sophomore left-hander Dawson Grunseth was outstanding, striking out 10 while allowing four hits and four walks over 6.1 innings. But he reached his pitch limit, hitting 104 while retiring Garret May to start the top of the seventh.
Prentice jumped on the opportunity to see someone else wearing purple on the pitcher’s mound.
The fifth-inning rally for the Pirates started with a Beau Pockat single, though he was out at second on Tony Syryczuk’s fielder’s choice. Syryczuk was out at second on Troy Duellman’s ground ball.
But Connor Nichols kept it going with a single. A double steal put both runners in scoring position and score they did on a double to left hit by Joey Syryczuk. Grunseth’s single to center scored Syryczuk with the go-ahead run.
Prentice’s game-winning rally in the seventh started with Grady May’s walk issued by reliever Dalton Wisocky. Hardy Hueckman walked. A passed ball and error, allowed May to score and Hueckman scored the go-ahead run on a double by Jonas Staroba. Heston Hueckman doubled in Staroba. Pockat relieved Wisocky and hit Aidan Hause. Adam Raab walked and Jaxson Franz singled in a pair to make it 7-3.
With two out against new pitcher Dawson Robinson, Garret May walked and Grady May singled in two more runs. Hardy Hueckman’s RBI single knocked in the 10th run before a pop-up finally got Gilman out of the inning. The Pirates only got a walk from Duellman in the bottom half.
The big inning made a winner out of Heston Hueckman, who struck out one and walked on in two relief innings. Staroba went five innings, allowing all seven of Gilman’s hits, three earned runs and two walks while striking out four.
Joey Syryczuk was two for three for the Pirates. Duellman, Nichols, Grunseth, Wisocky and Pockat had a hit apiece.
Heston Hueckman was three for four for Prentice. The Buccaneers had nine hits.
After losing 10-0 at Rib Lake Monday, Gilman finished the regular season 4-12. The Pirates drew the 11th seed in the WIAA Division 4 sectional half-bracket and will open tournament play today, Thursday, at 6th-seeded Edgar. The winner will visit third-seeded Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran for a regional semifinal Tuesday.
