Leader Photo by Gerrard Diaz The Clintonville Diamond Cats celebrate their American Legion Class A Region 3 title after beating Marion/Tigerton in the championship game Sunday in Marion. After Marion/Tigerton forced a championship game with a 5-4 win earlier in the day, Clintonville won 7-4 to punch its ticket to state.
The Clintonville American Legion baseball team is heading back to state after winning the rubber match against Marion/Tigerton 7-4 Sunday night in Marion.
The Diamond Cats will open state play Wednesday against Nekoosa, which is hosting the Class A tournament.
“We got this one for coach (Jeremy) Schoenike,” said coach Dean Muthig, who was filling in for Schoenike, who had a prior commitment. “This is his first year being the head guy. He had a trip that he couldn’t get out of that was planned ahead of time. I know he’s hating like heck that he can’t be here right now.”
Clintonville, which fell 5-4 in the first game between the two teams Sunday, took a 3-1 lead after the first inning of the second game and never gave it back.
Marion/Tigerton (8-9) did give Clintonville a scare, scoring a run in the sixth and getting a two-run home run from Justin Miller in the seventh.
“It was fun,” Marion/Tigerton coach John Kopitzke said. “We had an excellent tournament here. It’s fun to make Clintonville earn it. Now they know we’re something to be reckoned with.”
Marion/Tigerton pitcher Woodrow Nelson hit an RBI double in the first.
Turner Doornink hit an RBI double to tie the game in the bottom of the frame. That was followed by an RBI double by Jansen VanDaalwyk and an RBI single by Nick Hogen.
Doornink was injured scoring the run and left the game after trying to play at first base in the second inning.
“A player like Turner going down early in the game, that just showed what our guys are made of,” Muthig said. “They stuck it out and got runs when we could. Jaden came out and threw a great game.”
Jaden Doornink allowed four runs on six hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked five.
Nelson took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits. He struck out one and walked one.
VanDaalwyk got a two-run double in the fifth. Nick Hogen finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs. Aaron Morse went 2 for 2.
Alex Eland cut the Clintonville lead to 6-2 with an RBI double in the sixth.
In the first game of the day, Andrew Cunliff hit a two-RBI double in the fourth inning to tie the game 4-4. Cunliff then scored the go-ahead run on David Stenson’s base hit.
Hoffman went the distance, allowing eight hits, striking out six and walking one.
VanDaalwyk took the loss. He struck out four and walked nine. Doornink was 3 for 3 with an RBI. Damon Lorge hit a two-run double in the second.
“The first game we jumped out to a lead, and I think we got a little too comfortable,” Muthig said. “You have to give them credit. They outplayed us. They earned that win. They just went out and beat us that first game.”
On Saturday, Marion/Tigerton beat Weyauwega-Fremont 11-7, then defeated Bonduel 10-6 to set up Sunday’s action.