Gerrard Diaz, gdiaz@shawanoleader.com
Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz Gresham Community High School pitcher Christian Haffner pitches against Wild Rose during Thursday’s Central Wisconsin Conference-10 game in Gresham. Gresham won 10-5.
Christian Haffner pitched a complete game, Scott Cerveny had two triples and three RBIs, and the Gresham Community High School baseball team beat Wild Rose 10-5 Thursday in Gresham.
The Wildcats got on their Central Wisconsin Conference-10 rival early, scoring three runs in the first and adding two in the second.
“Getting the lead helps anybody,” Gresham coach Troy Kuhn said. “It gets us up and the other team down.”
The lead helped the Wildcats (6-4, 6-4 CWC-10) settle in quickly, the coach said.
Haffner, a junior pitcher, got things going for Gresham in the first with a single. Cerveny, a senior shortstop, brought Haffner in with a triple, and scored on Riley Nietzer’s single.
“Our bats came alive,” said Cerveny, who finished 3 for 3 with two triples and three RBIs. “We were all hitting the ball. We were hitting them where they weren’t. Some games, you hit the ball and they’re just right there.”
Kevin Ile then reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second base, advanced to third on a Derek Bowman single and scored on a passed ball.
“When we got that lead, everyone was happy,” Haffner said. “Everyone was ready to go and pumped up. That, I think, changed the whole game.”
In the second, Wild Rose pitcher Ty Butzin walked the first three batters. Wild Rose picked off Kalen Fischer, before Cerveny hit a two-run triple.
Gresham added a run in the third, two in the fourth and one in the fifth, nearly ending the game by 10-run rule with a 10-1 lead and the bases loaded.
Wild Rose (8-6, 7-4) managed to get out of the jam, and scored twice in both the sixth and seventh innings, but the Gresham lead was too much.
Haffner struck out nine — including the last out to win the game, walked two and allowed five runs on seven hits. He also had two hits.
“Christian pitched a great game,” Kuhn said. “He’s coming through now that he’s a junior. He’s throwing strikes. Wild Rose is a great hitting team. Our defense backed him up, but he did exactly what he had to do tonight.”
Haffner pitched in a 9-1 loss to Wild Rose earlier in the season.
“I pitched against them in the first game, and they have great hitters,” he said. “I was nervous coming into tonight, but I was able to throw strikes, throw hard and keep it down low. I’m glad to come out of here with a win.”
Ile also had two hits and two RBIs for Gresham.
Butzin took the loss, pitching 4 1-3 innings. He struck out three, walked seven and allowed nine runs on 10 hits. Schyler Waller pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit. He struck out two and walked two.
Butzin had two doubles to lead Wild Rose. Waller was 2 for 4 with a double.
“It’s always good to beat a big school in our conference,” Kuhn said. “It always feels good.”