The 15U Stallions put together a fierce weekend on the diamond, battling their way to the tournament championship game before falling to a potent Wausau East 15U squad 14-6 on Sunday at Wausau East High School.
The Stallions finished the weekend with a 2-2 record, showcasing resilience by stringing together back-to-back wins after a tough opening round.
Early Stumble, Quick Recovery
The tournament opened on Saturday with a tough matchup against Wausau East.
Despite an early sacrifice fly by Bentley Knutson that put the Stallions ahead 1-0, Wausau East answered with six runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Stallions' offense was held to three hits—two from Alden Jaje—in an 11-1 defeat.
The Stallions shook off the loss immediately in their second game on Saturday, topping the Eau Claire A's 15U Blue 7-2. Jaje and Ryder Schnappup drove in early runs, but Eau Claire fought back to tie the game 2-2 in the fourth.
In the bottom of the fifth, Mason Mishler delivered a clutch, game-winning two-run single. Austin Martinson, who finished 2-for-3, added insurance to seal the victory. Starting pitcher Evan Simmons was masterful, throwing three hitless innings to earn the win.
Punching a Ticket to Sunday
The momentum carried into Saturday’s final game, where the Stallions outlasted the Comets 15U in a 9-5 victory. The Stallions jumped out to a 3-1 lead, fueled by a Schnappup sacrifice fly and a Comets balk. Greyson Etherington extended the lead with an RBI double in the third.
Knutson earned the win on the mound, striking out five over three innings. Martinson and Etherington paced the offense with two hits each, while the team showed excellent discipline, drawing six total walks.
The Championship Finale
The Sunday title game set up a highly anticipated rematch between the Stallions and Wausau East. The Stallions wasted no time making a statement, jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Etherington laced a two-run single, and Simmons forced an RBI fielder's choice.
However, big innings proved to be the Stallions' Achilles' heel against the tournament hosts. Wausau East erupted for 11 runs on four hits and a costly error in the bottom of the second, flipping the game to 13-3.
The Stallions refused to quit, fighting back to score three more runs. Simmons and Etherington proved to be a dangerous duo at the top of the order, each driving in two runs, with Etherington collecting two hits. Despite drawing seven walks and executing a double play defensively, the Stallions could not overcome the early deficit, ultimately falling 14-6.
The 15U Stallions will play next at the Antigo Home Tournament June 19-June 21. They will take on Westfield for their first game of the weekend on Friday, June 19th@8:00pm.
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