As part of a weekend getaway to Iowa to see friends, I’d planned to see the Thursday night game between Shullsburg/Benton and Blanchardville, and then one of two ballgames on the way back Sunday afternoon. After speaking to the Blanchardville coach, he help solidify my preference to see a game in Wiota.
Each of these games is a bit of a hike from my home near Waukesha, so a little planning was warranted.
As we drove toward Madison, I grew increasingly concerned that I would be able to shoot the game at all. The Minnesota & Canada wildfires were pushing smoke throughout the state, and as we drove through Madison at 6:30, it seemed more like dusk. As we headed further SW on Hwy 151, the skies cleared. For the game, it the sun hid behind the clouds, but there were a few moments to get some nice color and sufficient shutter speeds.
On to the game. . .
The first two innings offences were relatively quiet. Each team managed to get a base runner each inning but couldn’t push any runs across.
In the top of the second, the Fever led off with a Charlie Wiegel double. He didn’t score when the next batter singled, but the next two batters walked, thus forcing in a run. With bases loaded, the next trio of batters hit into outs.
In the top of the 4th, the Bullets became their own worst enemy. Following two strikeouts, the defense committed their two errors of the game. A HBP was sandwiched between the errors, leaving the bases loaded. The next two Fever batters singled resulting in three runs scored.
Blanchardville got on the board in the bottom of the fourth on a single, sacrifice bunt, stolen base and a throwing error.
Each team got two on in the 5th, but no baserunners would come around to score.
In the 6th, S-B loaded the bases again. This time they were able to get one run across before the final out in their half of the inning. In the bottom half, the leadoff batter reached second on an infield error. After advancing on a fielder’s choice, the run scored on a passed ball.
In the top of the 7th, the Fever went down in order. The Bullets were not ready to give up. With one out and trailing 5-2, two errors and a single loaded the baes with one out. The next batter hit a sacrifice fly scoring one run. But, the next batter hit a ground ball to the pitcher for a 1-3 putout. Game over.
Shullsburg/Benton 5 – Blanchardville 3
Besides the Fever’s double by Charlie Wiegel, who also scored a pair of runs and singled, Joe Winter had two hits and two runs scored, and shortstop Damon Dittmar had three RBIs.
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