B-T baseball splits two as playoffs approach
Jackson Shramek of Blair-Taylor threw to second during their game against Whitehall on Saturday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
There was plenty of offense to go around in a pair of Dairyland Conference baseball games last week for Blair-Taylor, and one gave the Wildcats a preview of the postseason.
The Wildcats (5-15 overall, 5-12 Dairyland Conference) scored 21 runs in two games, beating Augusta on Monday before falling to Cochrane-Fountain City on Friday. They were swept by Whitehall in a doubleheader on Saturday.
Friday served as a teaser for the WIAA Division 4 playoffs, as fifth-seeded Blair-Taylor will have a shot at redemption when they open the regional round at C-FC–seeded fourth–on Thursday.
Blair-Taylor was also scheduled to play its regular season finale at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Monday.
B-T 12 Augusta 8
A late push from the host Beavers was cut short by the Wildcats last Monday.
Blair-Taylor built an 8-6 lead through six innings before Augusta (8-10, 6-9 DC) tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Wildcats responded quickly, though, racking up four runs in the top of the eighth to silence the Beavers.
Tavian Shramek and Brayden Paulson each provided a pair of hits for Blair-Taylor, which also got doubles from Jackson Shramek and Isaiah Washington. Shramek threw five innings for the Wildcats, allowing three runs on two hits with four strikeouts and a trio of walks.
Anthony Oldendorf and Eli Swenson closed things out for Blair-Taylor, combining to allow five runs and four hits with two strikeouts and four walks.
C-FC 12 B-T 9
It was the Wildcats’ own comeback effort that was shut short on Friday. Blair-Taylor never recovered from an early deficit in a tune-up game against the Pirates.
The Pirates (7-14, 6-9 DC) racked up seven scores over the first three innings while Blair-Taylor managed two. The Wildcats attempted to respond, scoring six times in the bottom of the seventh inning to make things interesting before the visitors ended the game.
It was a productive outing for the Shrameks, as Jackson (4-for-4 with 3 RBIs) and Tavian (3-for-3, RBI) led Blair-Taylor on offense. Teammate Cain Fremstad also had a pair of hits for the Wildcats, who finished with 17 as a team.
Oldendorf got the start for the Wildcats, allowing 11 hits and nine earned runs while throwing a strikeout and two walks over four innings.
Jackson Shramek closed the game, ending with three strikeouts and two walks, allowing three runs on two hits.
