LA CROSSE — The Aquinas High School baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull away from a tight game and force an MVC championship game later this week.
The Blugolds (17-3, 9-2) had just two hits in the seventh, but a hit batter and a couple of errors paved the way for a big inning and 8-3 victory over first-place Holmen at Lee Gilbert Field.
The outcome set up a championship between the teams Thursday in Holmen. The Vikings (15-8-1, 10-1) win the conference outright with a victory, and Aquinas — ranked second in Division 2 by state coaches — forces a tie for the title with a victory.
The Blugolds received all eight of their hits from the top four batters in the lineup, and catcher Jacob Thornton was 2 for 2, drew two walks and drove in four runs. Pitcher/shortstop Isaac Schelfhout was 2 for 3 with a double, a walk and three RBIs in addition to striking out six batters and allowing seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Right fielder Joe Meeter tripled twice for the Vikings, who scored twice in the top of the sixth to get within 4-3. Jude Anderson singled and scored on Meeter’s second triple, and Meeter scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Noah Oswald.
Left fielder Alex Goryl was also 2 for 3 for Holmen.
Logan 4, Sparta 2
SPARTA — The Rangers (13-10, 5-6) scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the Spartans.
Tommy Check tied the game with a single that scored Sam Diehl, and Preston Elston broke the tie with a single that scored Check and Hank Bosch.
Bradley Check and Elston pitched for Logan, and Check struck out six and walked four while allowing ywo earned runs on three hits. Elston struck out three and walked to during two hitless innings.
Tommy Check stole a base, and Jesse Lycke doubled for the Rangers.
Onalaska 11, Altoona 8
ALTOONA — The Hilltoppers (8-10) scored seven times in the top of the fifth inning for an 8-4 lead and held off the Railroaders the rest of the way.
Onalaska had three extra-base hits and seven stolen bases.
Second baseman Trent Oyen was 3 for 3 with two RBIs, and catcher Hunter Morse was 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs.
Infielder Carson Zinnecker was 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs, and infielder Cooper Rudie 2 for 4 with an RBI and two stolen bases.
Onalaska Luther 3, Arcadia 2
ONALASKA — The Knights (4-13, 2-8) scored in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to answer Arcadia’s two-run first, and the winning run scored on an error.
Michael Johnson doubled home a run in the fourth, and Jackson Kendall singled home another in the fifth.
Kendall was 2 for 3, and Johnson and Isaiah Rupprecht both doubled for Luther, which received five-hit pitching from Kendall and his six strikeouts and no walks.
Second baseman Deklyn Grzadzielewski led off the Arcadia first with an infield single, and catcher followed with a two-run home run before Kendall recorded his first out.
Melrose-Mindoro 13, Augusta 0 (5)
MELROSE — The Mustangs (14-5, 10-3), who are in second place in the Dairyland-Large, scored five runs in the second inning to kick off the win.
Pitcher/center fielder Brett Peterson was 2 for 2 and walked twice. He doubled, tripled, scored three times, stole two bases and knocked in a run.
Catcher Jayce Stetzer was 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs, and designated hitter Eric Herzberg went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs.
Pitcher Wade Adams added two RBIs, and Brady Blaken and Jacob Thesing each swiped two bases.
Peterson pitched four innings of a two-hitter nd struck out four with two walks. Adams struck out two in one hitless inning.
Tomah 8, Central 5
TOMAH — The RiverHawks (3-17, 1-8) had a good start with two runs in the first inning, but the Timberwolves came back with five in the second and never again trailed.
Catcher Jude Alvarado was 3 for 3 with an RBI and scored two runs for Central, which had 10 hits. Right fielder Dawson Lapic was also 3 for 4.
The RiverHawks also received RBIs from Erik Ramseier, Aiden Schulze, Kenden Bishofsky and Charlie Buxton.
