State Spring Baseball Tournament: Divisions 2-4 Preview
Tuesday, June 11th, 2013 -- 10:44 AM
The 66th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Spring Baseball State Tournament is underway today at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.Wednesday, June 12
Division 4 Semifinals - 8 a.m.
Game 1 - Greenwood (14-3) vs. Wausaukee (15-6)
Game 2 - Potosi (18-7) vs. Lake Country Lutheran (23-4)*
Division 3 Semifinals - 1 p.m.
Game 1 - Osseo-Fairchild (16-7) vs. Oconto (14-4)
Game 2 - Westby (20-4) vs. Deerfield (18-4)*
Division 2 Semifinals - 6 p.m.
Game 1 - Ellsworth (16-3) vs. Notre Dame (13-10)
Game 2 - Lodi (20-3) vs. Waupun (23-6)*
ALL GAMES STREAMED LIVE: The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of all four divisions of the WIAA State Spring Baseball Tournament will be streamed live on the Internet at foxsportswisconsin.com.
THE DIVISION 2 FIELD: Waupun advances to the State Tournament for the sixth time overall and its first since 2008, which was the last of three straight appearances. The Warriors won the State title in 2007. They finished runner-up in the Wisconsin Little Ten Conference this season and advanced through the sectional they hosted with a 1-0 victory in a pitchers? duel over Racine St. Catherine?s in the final.
Ellsworth finished runner-up last season in its first-ever trip to State. The Panthers remain in contention for a State championship this year following their 12-2, six-inning defeat of Barron in the Viroqua Sectional final. They are the champions of the Middle Border Conference this season.
Notre Dame qualifies for the tournament field for the second time in the past three seasons, which also accounts for its overall experiences in the State Tournament. The Tritons were ousted from title contention in the semifinals in 2011. They earned their berth this season with a 5-4 win over Fox Valley Lutheran in the Denmark Sectional final. They placed ninth in the Fox River Classic Conference this spring.
Lodi is back at State for the second time as well. The Blue Devils? only other experience came back in 1982 when they finished runner-up in Class B. They are the champions of the North Division of the Capitol Conference this spring, and their trek through the Evansville Sectional culminated with a 6-3 win over Wisconsin Dells in the final.
THE DIVISION 3 FIELD: Deerfield is back at State for the fourth time and for the first time since 2003. The Demons have been defeated in the semifinals in each of their three previous appearances. They are the champions in the South Division of the Trailways Conference this spring and have advanced to the State Tournament with a 7-3 win over Laconia in the Markesan Sectional final.
Oconto is also making its fourth appearance overall and its first since 2003. The Blue Devils fell in the Division 2 semifinals that season and in their two other experiences as well. They tied with Sturgeon Bay and Gibraltar for the top spot in the Packerland Conference this season and earned the right to continue their quest for a State title with a 7-1 win over Pacelli in the Coleman Sectional final.
Westby needed to work overtime to secure its third State Tournament appearance. The Norseman notched a 5-4 victory in nine innings over Parkview in the Riverdale Sectional final. In their most recent appearance, they finished runner-up in Division 2 in 1997. The Norsemen placed third in the Coulee Conference this spring.
Osseo-Fairchild is back at State for the second time and for the first time since 2006 when the Thunder fell in the semifinals. The Thunder returns to the tournament field following a 5-2 win over Chequamegon in the sectional final hosted by Osseo-Fairchild. The Thunder finished second in the Western Division of the Cloverbelt Conference this year.
THE DIVISION 4 FIELD: Potosi is making this its fifth appearance and its first since 2002. The Chieftains won the Division 3 championship in 1993 and finished runner-up in Division 3 in 2001. They placed runner-up in the West Division of the Six Rivers Conference this year and advanced to the State Tournament with a 5-3 win over Cochrane-Fountain City in the Weston Sectional final.
Greenwood is returning to the State Tournament for the second straight season and for the fourth time overall. The Indians won the Class C title in 1990, which was preceded by a title in 1988 and a runner-up finish in 1986. They finished second in the Eastern Division of the Cloverbelt Conference this season. They earned a repeat trip to Grand Chute with an 11-3 win over Prairie Farm in the Shell Lake Sectional final.
Wausaukee will be making only its second appearance at State. The first came in 1999 when the Rangers lost in the Division 3 semifinals. They advance to the semifinals this year with a 10-0, five-inning shutout over Rib Lake in the Tigerton Sectional. The Rangers placed third in the Marinette & Oconto Conference this season.
Lake Country Lutheran downed perennial power Catholic Central 6-1 in the final of the Barneveld Sectional to earn its first-ever State appearance. The Lightning finished in a first-place tie with Brookfield Academy in the Midwest Classic Conference this year.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.