Statebound!
The Prairie du Chien baseball team celebrates after defeating Arcadia 12-3 to win the Sectional Championship and earn a berth to the State Tournament in Grand Chute. (Photo by Vicki Waller)
Chas Sagedahl pitches versus Arcadia in the Sectional Final. (Photo by Vicki Waller)
Prairie du Chien’s Dylan Yeomans rounds third and heads for home against Cambridge Tuesday afternoon in the Division 3 Sectional Semifinal at Copeland Field in La Crosse. The Blackhawks will be playing Markesan in the State Tournament in Grand Chute on June 15. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
Drew Scott grabs the throw on a pick-off attempt versus Cambridge. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
Hunter Sheckler throws to first base from his knees after making a diving stop against Cambridge Tuesday afternoon in La Crosse. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
Casey Hogenson fires a fastball against Cambridge. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
Chas Sagedahl slides into home plate in the second inning. (Photo by Ted Pennekamp)
Prairie du Chien baseball team is Statebound
By Ted Pennekamp
The Prairie du Chien High School baseball team is headed to the Wisconsin State Tournament after winning both of their games at the Division 3 La Crosse Aquinas Sectional Tuesday afternoon.
Prairie du Chien rallied in the late innings to defeat Cambridge in their first game 6-2 at Copeland Field in La Crosse, the home of the La Crosse Loggers. The Blackhawks then trounced Arcadia 12-3 in the Sectional Final to earn their State Tournament berth.
“This year’s team has continued to develop with different players stepping up during the season with big hits and plays,” said Prairie Coach Mark Pedretti. “It is a heavy senior oriented team with good depth on the mound and solid hitting.”
Prairie du Chien scored a run in the top of the second inning to go ahead 1-0 against Cambridge.
Cambridge scored twice in the bottom of the third to grab a 2-1 lead.
Prairie then rallied in the top of the sixth, scoring 2 runs to take a 3-2 advantage. The inning had a bit of controversy as Prairie had the bases loaded with 2 outs when a ground ball was hit down the third base line and the Cambridge third baseman fielded it and stepped on third for the third out to kill the scoring threat. The umpires ruled that there had been catcher interference with the Prairie batter, however, and so the run counted and the third out nullified. Prairie scored their second run of the inning moments later.
The Blackhawks rallied for 3 more runs in the top of the seventh and then held the Blue Jays scoreless in the bottom half to earn the victory.
Cambridge had 6 hits and committed 1 error. Prairie du Chien had 5 hits and committed 2 errors. Prairie took advantage of drawing 10 walks in the contest.
Chas Sagedahl got the pitching victory. He struck out 8 and walked 1 in 2 2/3 innings. Casey Hogenson pitched 4 1/3 innings. He fanned 4 and walked 5.
Jonathan Dyer was 3x3 for Prairie du Chien. Hogenson hit a double.
Prairie du Chien beat Arcadia 12-3 in the Sectional Final. The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning, when Prairie erupted for 5 runs to go up 5-0.
The Blackhawks scored 4 more runs in the fourth, and Arcadia scored twice in the bottom half as Prairie led 9-2.
Arcadia scored a run in the fifth to cut the margin to 9-3.
Prairie du Chien scored 3 runs in the top of the seventh and held Arcadia in the bottom of the seventh to gain the win and a trip to the State Tournament.
Prairie du Chien pounded out 14 hits and committed 1 error. Arcadia had 5 hits and committed no errors.
Dylan Yeomans went 4x4 with 3 runs scored. Chas Sagedahl hit a double and had 1 RBI. Casey Hogenson was 1x3. Peyton Hall was 2x5 with a double, a triple and 5 RBIs. Brogan Potter was 2x5 with a double and 2 RBIs. Cory Check was 1x2 with an RBI. Drew Scott was 1x1. Jonathan Dyer was 1x3 with an RBI.
Prairie du Chien now sports an overall record of 24-1 and will face Markesan (24-0) at 1 p.m. in the Division 3 State Semifinal at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute on June 15.
The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Unity versus St. Mary’s Catholic game. The Division 3 State Championship game is scheduled for noon on June 16.
