Panthers jump ahead quickly; Raiders can’t get much going

WIAA DIV. 2 REGIONAL FINAL

The Medford Raiders weren’t their sharpest defensively, especially early, they got just four hits off starting pitcher Brett McConkey and saw their outstanding 2023 baseball season end in a 9-1 victory for an impressive squad from West Salem during a May 31 WIAA Division 2 regional final at Raider Field.

One could argue the game wasn’t as one-sided as the final score indicated. West Salem got five runs in the top of the seventh when the Raiders had to dig deep into their pitching staff to get the last three outs. But it couldn’t be argued that West Salem controlled the first six innings with nearly constant traffic on the base paths and limited opportunities for Medford’s offense to match the single runs the Panthers got in each of the first four innings.

Second-seeded Medford finished 235, while third-seeded West Salem (19-4) advanced to Tuesday’s WIAA Division 2 sectional tournament in Altoona, where it knocked out the other co-Great Northern Conference champion Mosinee 7-3 thanks to a six-run sixth inning, but then lost to Altoona 3-0 in the sectional final.

“We battled all game and never gave up,” Medford head coach Justin Hraby said. “This team found ways to win all season and I was just waiting for that to happen again.”

Medford knew coming in that West Salem, with athletes from its state runner- up football and basketball teams, would be a handful and had successfully saved its ace, Logan Baumgartner, for this matchup.

West Salem’s Chris Calico immediately led off the game with a base hit, stole second and got to third on a passed ball. He was still there with two outs, but Mc-Conkey dropped a soft liner to rightfield for a base hit that drove in the game’s first run. The Raiders put the tying run on in the bottom half when leadoff hitter Tanner Hraby reached on an error, but after a flyout and a fielder’s choice, West Salem catcher Luke Baginski threw out Medford’s speedy courtesy runner Evan Wilkins as he tried to steal second base, ending the inning.

Bennett Burke drew a one-out walk from Baumgartner in the top of the second, moved to second base on a passed ball and scored on a two-out throwing error by the Raiders.

In the third, Luke Noel led off by getting hit with a pitch and moved to third on McConkey’s single to right. The Panthers successfully pulled off a double steal to get a run. The inning could’ve been worse as West Salem got runners to second and third with one out, but Baumgartner struck out Burke and got Brendon Haverly-Ghelfi to pop out to Nick Steliga at second base to keep the deficit at 3-0.

West Salem was back at it in the fourth, getting a leadoff single from number- nine hitter Brennan Kennedy. Calico beat out an infield hit and both runners moved up a base on a throwing error. Kennedy scored on Carson Koepnick’s groundout. Again, the damage was limited as Baumgartner struck out Noel and McConkey grounded out to Parker Lissner at third base.

“Logan pitched a good game,” Justin Hraby said. “He executed our game plan well. A few bloopers and some untimely defensive miscues really made his pitching line much worse than it should’ve been.”

Medford’s best chance to get back into the game came in the bottom of the fourth.

Tanner Hraby drew a leadoff walk. Lissner grounded one to second. Hraby was safe at second base when the umpire ruled Calico, West Salem’s shortstop, missed the bag when he took the throw from Haverly-Ghelfi as he tried to turn a double play. Lissner was out at first on the play. Baumgartner then pulled a Mc-Conkey offering down the leftfield line for a single that scored Hraby.

Braxton Weissmiller’s fielder’s choice took out Wilkins at second base for the second out, but Max Dietzman singled up the middle and Ty Metz got an infield hit to load the bases for Miles Searles, whose sharply-hit ground ball turned into a forceout at second. Medford had just one more base runner the rest of the way. That was Hraby on a two-out, fifthinning single.

“In the rally we had going, Miles put a good swing on a good pitch,” Hraby said. “If that ball is a few feet either way, we are still hitting and only down one at that point. Their pitcher was tough. He moved the ball around and really overpowered our hitters.” Baumgartner was at 99 pitches through six innings, meaning he could face one batter in the seventh. Unfortunately, he hit McConkey. Steliga took over. The Raiders retired Jacob Helgeson on a sacrifice bunt, but a wild pitch sent courtesy runner Koen Molling to third. Baginski drew a walk and never stopped at first, heading right toward second base, trying to entice a throw and get Molling home. The play ended with the runners at second and third and both scored on Burke’s knockout punch, a two-run double to the gap in left-center. Haverly-Ghelfi doubled as well to drive in a run and an error and a sacrifice fly by Calico closed the scoring.

McConkey went six innings to get the win, striking out six, walking one. Burke struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh. Baumgartner allowed seven hits and five runs, three of which were earned, while striking out seven, walking two and hitting three. Steliga allowed two hits and three runs, two of which were earned in one-third of an inning. Hraby got the last two outs, allowing an unearned run.

Calico and McConkey had two hits apiece for West Salem, while five others had a hit apiece.

Medford has had two straight strong seasons end in regional finals with losses to outstanding teams. This year’s loss meant the end of the line for eight seniors, including co-captains Baumgartner, Metz and Searles, as well as Alex Dittrich, Gavin Fuchs, Jacob Eckert, Peyton Gilles and Tucker Kraemer. Baumgartner was named the Great Northern Conference’s Player of the Year last week and will represent Medford in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Star Classic in Oshkosh June 30-July 1, right after he plays in the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association’s Division 2 All-Star Game June 29.

“What a season,” coach Hraby said. “These boys accomplished a lot. Setting the school record for most wins in a row (15) and most wins in a regular season (22). Winning a conference title was really special as well. Thanks to the seniors. They have seen a lot of wins over the years and really have made a name for themselves in Raider Baseball history. They will be tough to replace.”

Medford head coach Justin Hraby and pitcher Logan Baumgartner have a quick word during the top of the sixth inning. West Salem put two runners on, but the Raiders kept the Panthers off the board in this inning, keeping it a 4-1 game at the time.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS

Medford centerfielder Miles Searles easily catches a fly ball off the bat of West Salem’s Jacob Helgeson during the fifth inning of the Raiders’ WIAA Division 2 regional final loss.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS