SPORTS LINE – Sportswriter Jay Johnson
May 30, 2023
Lake Geneva Badger (12-11) v. Mukwonago (12-14)
WIAA D 1 Regionals – first round
Final: Lake Geneva Badger 0, Mukwonago 3 (8 innings)
Badger played host to Mukwonago in the first round of the WIAA Division 1 playoffs at Jonas Field. This would be the second time these two programs met. On April 25, Badger won a hotly contested non-conference slugfest 7-6.
This time, in the loose and go home WIAA single elimination format, both teams brought their aces. Badger went with righty junior, Sam Polyock, Mukwonago went with lefty junior, Cael Bertrandt. From the first pitch, a blazing fastball from Polyock, it was obvious Polyock was going to overwhelm Mukwonago’s hitting. All afternoon, all Mukwonago could muster was weak contact, whiffs, and looks of disgust at called strike three’s. Mukwonago tried twice to dip their elbows into inside pitches, inducing getting hit by the pitch, but the umpire called the Mukwonago batters back to hit. The best hitters did manage two hard hit singles back up the middle, one which took off Polyock’s hat. But that did not faze him. Polyock was on his game today, using up all 100 allowed pitches, striking out 7, allowing no runs in 6 1/3 innings.
As masterful as Polyock was, Bertrandt was a bit better. The 6’3” lefty kept badger bats quiet with a bit of luck on his side. Badger had more hard hit balls, particularly two from Senior Crete Slattery, that could have easily been home runs, but one was to high caught by the wind blowing in from left, and a second to right field that was too low of a line drive, caught with a nice catch by Mukwonago’s right fielder. The loudest hit of the game came off of the bat of freshman, Matthew O’Grady. O’Grady drove a two out fastball off the left-center wall for a double. A defensively sound Mukwonago team executed a perfect relay to gun down O’Grady trying to stretch a double into a triple to end the 5th inning.
The game was handed over to the relievers in the 8th. Gavin Stewart came in for Badger. A soft Texas leaguer to right followed by a sun obscured fly to left put runners at the corners with no outs. A walk loaded the bases with no outs. Badger drew in the infield to prepare to stop a run from scoring at all costs.
But Stewart brought his best. A shallow fly followed by a strikeout left the bases loaded with two outs. Mukwonago’s 3 and 4 hitters singled off the sophomore Stewart, plating in three runs.
Badger went quietly 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th, ending the contest, and the season.
Player of the game: Sam Polyock 6 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 7K’s
