Blasting off for state

Cedar Grove-Belgium High School’s baseball team qualified for the state in the spring season for the first time in school history on Tuesday in Horicon.

The Rockets first of two wins came over Living Word Lutheran, 8-0, in a Division 3 sectional semifinal.

Junior Ira Hilbelink, who has committed to play for the University of Minnesota, whiffed 14 batters in seven innings, allowing three hits and two walks. He threw 103 pitches.

The Rockets scored two runs in the first inning and four in the second. They added two more in the sixth.

Austin Knapp had two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored. Seth Race and Carter Schmitz each had a hit and an RBI. Hilbelink had a hit, a walk and three runs scored. Connor Waters had two hits.

The Rockets didn’t commit an error.

In the 6-2 sectional final win later in the day over Lake Country Lutheran, Schmitz went the distance, allowing nine hits, two runs and two walks while striking out two. He threw 100 pitches.

The Rockets scored two runs in each the third and fourth innings and one run in each the fifth and sixth.

Lake Country Lutheran didn’t score until the seventh inning. The Lightning committed four errors.

Waters had three hits, including two doubles, and four RBIs. Josh Anzia had a double and an RBI. Griffin Knight had two hits and three runs scored. Knapp had a double.

The Rockets, 21-5, play Tuesday, June 16, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, home of the Milwaukee Brewers’ single-A affiliate the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Their opponent wasn’t announced as of Tuesday.

The other three teams that qualified in Division 3 are Dodgeville, Marathon and St. Croix Falls.

In the sectional finals, Dodgeville (24-2) beat Viroqua, 5-4, in 11 innings. St. Croix Falls (27-1) beat Elk Mound, 3-1, in nine innings. Marathon (26-4) beat Kewaunee, 2-1.

The first of two semifinal games is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

The championship game is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. Thursday, June 18.