WIAA Spring State Baseball Tournament: Division 1 Preview
Sunday, June 10th, 2018 -- 8:24 AM
The 71st Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Spring Baseball State Tournament will take place Tuesday-Thursday, June 12-14, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute.Tuesday, June 12
Division 1 Quarterfinals - 8 a.m.
Game 1 - Eau Claire North (21-3) vs. Waunakee (18-6)
Game 2 - Green Bay Preble (20-3) vs. Kimberly (18-7)
Division 1 Quarterfinals - 1 p.m.
Game 3 - Arrowhead (23-3) vs. Burlington (20-7)
Game 4 - Janesville Craig (22-5) vs. Milwaukee King (14-9)
Division 1 Semifinals - 6 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Kimberly won the Division 1 championship with a 4-2 victory over Sun Prairie in the title game.
THE DIVISION 1 FIELD: Defending champion Kimberly will appear in the State Tournament for the fifth year in a row and for the 12th time overall. The Papermakers have now won three State titles, winning the Division 1 titles in 2007 and 2017, and the Class B championship in 1989. They have finished runner-up five times, including 1988, 1993, 2008, 2014 and 2015. The Papermakers finished second to Hortonville in the Fox Valley Association standings this spring, and they are the winners of the Appleton East Sectional following a 9-4 win over West De Pere in the final. Janesville Craig is making its third appearance in the last four seasons and its 14th overall. The Cougars have won four State titles. They were the back-to-back Class A champions in 1983-84 and added a Division 1 championship in 1998 and again in 2015. They also finished runner-up in 1999 and 2001. The Cougars were 7-5 victors over city rival Janesville Parker in the sectional final played in Janesville. They placed third in the Big Eight Conference this season. Eau Claire North is making its third consecutive appearance in the State Tournament and its 13th experience overall. The Huskies won the State title in 2011 and have finished runner-up three times, in 1981, 2002 and 2005. They defeated Stevens Point 5-2 to win the final of the Eau Claire Sectional to earn another berth in the tournament field. The Huskies are the champions in the Big Rivers Conference this season. Waunakee advances to the State tournament for the second year in a row and for the 10th time overall. The Warriors’ furthest advance in the tournament has been to the semifinals on a number of occasions and most recently in 2010. They finished tied for first place with Beaver Dam in the North Division of the Badger Conference this season, and they trounced DeForest 12-1 in five innings in the sectional final played at Middleton. Burlington is making its fifth appearance in the State Tournament overall and its third straight. The Demons’ won the championship in their only advance to the championship final in 2016. They are the champions of the Southern Lakes Conference this spring, and they doubled-up Kenosha Tremper 6-3 to win the sectional final hosted at Tremper. Milwaukee King is back in the State tournament for the first time since 2003 and for the fifth time in the program’s history. The Generals furthest advance in the tournament has been to the semifinals in 1998, 1999 and 2003. This season, they notched a 5-4 win over Wisconsin Lutheran in the sectional final played at Wisconsin Lutheran to earn their first trip to State in 15 years. The Generals are the champions of the Gold Division of the Milwaukee City Conference. Arrowhead returns for its third consecutive appearance in the State spring tournament and the fourth appearance overall. The Warhawks finished runner-up in their only appearance in the championship game in 2016. In addition, the Warhawks made seven appearances in the State Summer Baseball Tournament between 1973 and 2009, winning State titles in 1979 and 2009. The Warhawks recorded runner-up finishes in 1973, 1975 and 2006. They finished the season atop the Classic 8 Conference standings this season. They beat perennial power Sun Prairie 8-3 to win the Oconomowoc Sectional. Green Bay Preble is back in the final field of eight for the third year in a row and for the fourth time overall. The Hornets’ fell in the quarterfinal round in 2002 and again last season, and in the semifinals in 2016. They advance to State this season through the Bay Port Sectional following a 12-4 triumph over Antigo in the final. They tied De Pere for the championship of the Fox River Classic Conference this season.
FINALS AIRED LIVE ON FS WISCONSIN: Watch the WIAA State Spring Baseball Championship finals of all Divisions on FS Wisconsin. Check local cable listings for the channel in your area.
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