Dog days at Joannes Stadium

GREEN BAY – The sun was relentless, the air thick with humidity, and the scoreboard unforgiving. While most people sought relief from the 98-degree heat at Joannes Aquatic Center, just beyond the splash of the pool, a different kind of intensity was unfolding at Joannes Stadium. There, under a sweltering sun, the Green Bay Blue Ribbons squared off against the Sheboygan Athletic’s in an intense doubleheader. Despite a valiant effort, the Blue Ribbons fell 5-2, snapping a recent hot streak that had seen them climb to the top of the Wisconsin State League standings.

Axel Donaldson took the mound for Green Bay and battled through four and a third innings, striking out five but surrendering four runs on seven hits. Boone Kirst continued his consistent performance at the plate, going 2-for-3 and driving in the team’s second run.

The Ribbons couldn’t replicate the same with their bats however, taking until the third inning and some magic from Bryan Gerbers to make their first mark on the scoreboard. With sweat dripping and the crowd fanning themselves in the bleachers, Gerbers launched a solo shot to center field — his second homer of the season — cutting into Sheboygan’s early lead and giving the home crowd something to cheer about.

“I have had good success in my bullpen rounds,” said Gerbers. “I got a good pitch I like to swing at first, and I capitalized.”

In the final four innings, a Boone Kirst single to score the Ribbons second and final run was what the home fans had to cheer about for the closing of game one.

That loss brought the Blue Ribbons to 6-3 on the season, having been riding high after a dominant 12-2 win over Denmark and a sweep of the WSL Challenge just a week prior. This game's loss, however, would not get to the Ribbons as they were ready for game two.

“We try and drink water the day before, most of [the team] works construction so we’re already dehydrated,” explained Gerbers “We’re just trying to push through.”

The temperature still hovered near 96 degrees, and not a cloud in sight, but the mood in the dugout had shifted—this was a team determined to split the series and remind the league why they sit atop the WSL standings.

“We gotta get on them early, we want to send them home with a sour taste in their mouth,” said Gerbers about the plan for game 2 of the day.

And get on they did, Green Bay wasted no time capitalizing on Sheboygan’s early defensive mistakes, putting up three runs in the first and two more in the second. George McIntyre and Boone Kirst sparked the offense, while Ian Salvesen and Brayden Pleau added extra RBIs to extend the increasing lead even further. Eason Hurd added the exclamation point with a solo blast in the fourth—his first of the season.

On the mound, Joe Anderson was clinical. The right-hander went the distance, only allowing four hits and striking out eight in a complete-game effort that gave the bullpen a much-needed breather.

The Blue Ribbons, now 7–3, have been on a tear this June. They’ve taken a series from Denmark, swept the WSL Challenge, and now added another win to their growing résumé going 1-1 in this series. With upcoming matchups against the Addison Braves and Lombard Orioles — two teams looking to climb the standings — Green Bay knows the road ahead won’t get any cooler.