Grizzlies’ offense sputters in regional loss

Bonduel head coach Jason Boldt knew that if his team was going to pull out a win, his guys would have to score some early runs.

Three of the first four batters collected hits in the first inning as Bonduel took 1-0 lead on Oconto Falls. But that was the only run the Grizzlies could muster against Oconto Falls ace Evan Sigmund as Bonduel fell 2-1 in the second round of the American Legion regional playoffs Thursday night at Village Park in Bonduel.

“The way we started off, I’m thinking we were going to get to him a little early and maybe tack on a couple,” Boldt said. “I thought if we could get two, three runs early that might be enough for us. But we got that one and kind of stalled. We hit a lot of line drives tonight, but that’s how baseball goes.”

Sigmund gave up five hits in the first three innings but just three in the final four innings. Bonduel had just one runner advance past first base after the opening inning. Sigmund struck out nine Grizzlies batters.

“That first inning is always the hardest for any pitcher,” Oconto Falls coach Gerry Yogerst said. “That first inning, you’ve got to settle in and keep the ball down, and then we had some good defensive plays to help him out.”

Bonduel pitcher Trevor Pedersen was just as solid on the mound. He threw a complete game and allowed just three hits, all consecutively in the third inning to go with six strikeouts.

“He did what I expected of him,” Boldt said. “When you throw a complete game and give up two runs, you expect to win a game like that.”

Yogerst said he didn’t throw Sigmund, who will pitch this fall at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, to match Bonduel’s ace.

“We’ve got two No. 1s,” Yogerst said. “We started Riley and didn’t really need him yesterday and then Evan was going today. Whatever the matchup was going to be, I didn’t know.”

Jordan Boldt led off the game with a double to left to get Bonduel in business. Travis Wollenberg followed with a single to right-center field to drive in Boldt but then was caught stealing.

Oconto Falls got a baserunner with one out in the second inning as Sam Shroyer was hit by a pitch. He stole second and advanced to third on a Pedersen wild pitch. Shroyer came around to score on an RBI groundout by Brett Ash to tie the game.

With one out in the third, Dalton Curl, Mike VerVelde and Sigmund all singled to load the bases. With the No. 3 hitter Mike Manns up, Pedersen induced a ground ball. However, Bonduel couldn’t quite turn a double play to get out of the inning as Manns beat out the throw to first as Curl scored the go-ahead run.

“If we turn that double play and get out of that, it’s still a 1-1 game, and you never know what could happen after that,” Jason Boldt said.

Brent Pieper got the seventh inning started for Bonduel with an infield single. He was thrown out at second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Bennett Gunderson, who reached first. After a strikeout, Wyatt Erb singled to right. With the potential tying run at third base and two out, Austin Siolka grounded out to end the game.

Jordan Boldt, Wyatt Erb and Bailey Dingeldein each had two hits to lead the Grizzlies (15-3).

The loss is Bonduel’s first in the double-elimination tournament. The Grizzlies will face Clintonville at 5:30 p.m. Friday night. Oconto Falls will take on Niagara, which beat Omro 18-1 Thursday night.

“We told them in the huddle after the game, ‘Keep your heads up. We’ve got to come back now because it’s one-and-done. We can come back and still win this,’” Boldt said.

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E

Bonduel 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 1

Oconto Falls 0 1 1 0 0 0 x 2 3 0