By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – With a gritty performance, the De Pere Legion baseball team advanced to the Class AAA State Tournament.
The Panthers came from behind July 22 against Green Bay Southwest for an 8-7 victory.
De Pere trailed 7-4 entering the bottom of the seventh inning but pushed across four runs to pull out the victory and advance to the Legion state tournament in Sheboygan July 26-30.
“It was a great comeback by our guys after a tough top of the seventh,” De Pere Manager Dan Lukes said. “The bottom of the order did a great job setting the table, and the top got them in.”
On the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lukes said a hard liner to the Southwest shortstop appeared to be caught, but the ball wasn’t secured.
“The shortstop was fully extended, but when he hit the ground, the ball popped out and rolled behind second base,” he said. “The runner on second kept coming, and the throw beat him by 10 feet. I think the throw short-hopped the catcher, and he couldn’t handle it.”
The Panthers pounded out 15 hits compared to Southwest’s three, but four errors didn’t help Patrick Rotherham’s strong pitching performance.
“We struck the ball well,” Lukes said. “We were unlucky that a lot of them came after we had two outs and nobody on instead of earlier in the inning. But it was good to hit the ball sharply.”
Rotherham went 6 2/3 innings and allowed two hits, but walked eight for De Pere.
Only two of the seven runs he surrendered were earned.
Ethan Neuens and Carter Dugre each had three hits, while Wyatt DeSmidt, Ethan Hoops and Tyas Olson each added two for the Panthers.
Neuens knocked in three runners, while DeSmidt and Dugre each had two RBI.
Cole Bzdawka had two hits for Southwest.
“We’re always appreciative of an opportunity to play in the state tournament,” Lukes said. “Our goal is to get to the last day and have a chance to win it. We will work toward that goal again.”