Beloit Junior Bandits eliminated from regional tournament in 6-5 loss to Racine

WATERTOWN, Wis. — The Beloit Junior Legion Bandits fought tooth and nail to try and avoid elimination before ultimately coming up one run short in a 6-5 loss to the Racine Steelheads on Sunday in the 16U Watertown Regional.

The Bandits (6-13) had split its first two games at Washington Park, falling to Germantown 14-10 on Friday and shutting down Oconomowoc Gold 10-0 on Saturday before being ousted in the double-elimination tournament.

The Steelheads jumped out to a 2-0 lead off Beloit starter Will Erickson in the bottom half of the opening frame. Ethan Fredrick led off with a double and Ben Neimeyer single before quickly swiping second base. Dominic Pasucci’s groundout to second put Racine on the board, and Gavin Danielson’s sacrifice fly later scored Neimeyer.

In the second, Erickson and Hayden Wells drew back-to-back one-out walks. Erickson was out on Carter Middleton’s grounder to third but Wells went to third after the Steelheads unsuccessfully tried turning a double play. Wells and Middleton executed a double steal to give Beloit its first run.

The Bandits tied it in the third after walks from Tayvon Cates and Kayden Tyler along with a bunt single from Diego Batista loaded the bases before Cates scored on Walenga’s line out to left.

An RBI single from Dillon Danielson put Racine back in front 3-2 in the bottom half of the frame, but the Bandits surged ahead in the fifth when Cates and Tyler, who had each walked, both scored on an error off Jaxon Walenga’s grounder to third.

But a Bandits’ error helped Racine plate two runs in the fifth to take the lead for good. A one-run single by Rafael Garcia later in the frame made it 6-4.

Austin Driver singled and Walenga walked to begin the seventh, but a double play put the Bandits in a tough spot. Erickson’s single forced a Racine error, which made it 6-5, and Wells was hit by a pitch to put a second runner on before the Steelheads secured the winning out.

Erickson allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits as he struck out seven in the complete-game performance. Beloit was outhit 9-3 but drew nine walks, three from Cates, and committed just a single error. Frederick, Gavin Danielson and Dillon Danielson each had two hits for Racine.

• 19U BELOIT REGIONAL: The Beloit Senior Legion Bandits will look to win a regional title on its home diamond as the Stateline YMCA plays host to the AAA Region 6 tournament.

The Bandits open up against Lake Geneva on Field 4 at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Milwaukee will face Mukwonago on Field 3 at 5 p.m. while Janesville faces Racine on Field 4 at 5 p.m.

The double-elimination tournament will go to at least Friday with an additional game possible on Saturday if necessary.

Beloit (6-3) has had 10 rainouts this season but will look to open with a victory over a Badgers’ squad it defeated 27-4 in the regular season finale.