Winning, losing and weather: Grafton baseball rides roller coaster

After sweeping rival Cedarburg, the Grafton High School baseball team dropped a game in cold, wet conditions, then in just the cold.

The Black Hawks on Monday lost their first North Shore Conference game, 4-0, at Hartford.

The Hawks only managed three hits as Boden Brandner allowed two through six innings, striking out five and walking one.

Grafton’s Will Heinz allowed three hits, three walks and four runs over three innings, striking out one. Vince Schiller pitched three scoreless frames, walking two.

Last Saturday, the Hawks had their game at Kettle Moraine Lutheran delayed and moved from the Town of Jackson to Grafton due to field conditions after so much rain last week. It was also cold, but that didn’t stop the teams from playing extra innings.

KML prevailed, 9-5, in 10 innings, to remain undefeated.

KML scored four runs in the seventh inning to take a two-run lead, but the Hawks were clutch in their half of the inning, too.

Heinz had a one-out single, and Zach Plier later doubled to put runners on second and third with two outs. Ryan Butts reached on a throwing error that plated two runs to tie the game at 5.

“It showed our team’s resilience as well, especially after the emotional letdown,” Grafton coach Brian Durst said.

Hudson Miller took over on the mound and threw two scoreless innings before KML plated three runs in the 10th.

Plier went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Everett Bonk had three singles.

Butts allowed one run and six hits while striking out one in six innings.

“It was a great nonconference game. KML is part of our regional. We know there’s a good chance we’ll see them again in the postseason,” Durst said.

In a wallop of Cedarburg, 13-3, at home on April 13, Jack Schmanski went 3-for-3 with two triples, four RBIs one walk and three runs scored. He had a three-RBI triple in the fifth inning, then scored the winning run on a wild pitch. The game ended via the 10-run mercy rule.

Three days later, Schmanski foiled the Bulldogs on the mound in Cedarburg in a 5-1 win.

Schmanski allowed three hits, one run, three walks and struck out nine in 6-1/3 innings.

“He had a great series,” Durst said of the Cedarburg sweep.

Plier had three hits and an RBI. Peyton McKinney had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Heinz had two hits. Nick Schiller and Bonk each had a hit and an RBI.

Grafton, 2-1 in the NSC and 2-3 overall, was to host Hartford on Wednesday. They host Port Washington on Friday, April 24, and Whitefish Bay on Monday, April 27. They play at Whitefish Bay on Wednesday, April 29.

Port gets rained out before busy stretch

Port had its three games rained out last week.

The Pirates were to host KML on Tuesday, April 21. They play at West Bend East on Wednesday, April 22, at KML on Thursday, April 23, then at Grafton the next day. They play at Racine Lutheran on Saturday, April 25, host West Bend East on Monday, April 27, and play at Brookfield Central on Tuesday, April 28.

Correction: First baseman Dawson Dinkel caught the foul popup to end the game at Cedar Grove-Belgium on April 11.