Cambridge home talent pounds McFarland, will face Evansville in first round of playoffs

With the Blues holding a 5-4 lead over the McFarland Muskies after the sixth inning, Cambridge used two big innings, scoring six runs in the seventh and four runs in the eighth to earn a 15-4 win on Sunday, July 28 at the McFarland Baseball Facilities.

In the seventh, Jace Horton hit a two-run single, Connor O’Brien hit an RBI double, Chase Jarlsberg plated a run on an RBI single and Sam Mickelson scored a run on a sacrifice flyout.

In the eighth, Mickelson hit an RBI single and Jared Marty plated a run with a bases-loaded walk.

Mickelson, Horton and Jarlsberg each drove in two runs in the win, while O’Brien, Denver Evans and Tyler Carlson all recorded an RBI.

Evans earned the win, pitching five innings of relief. Evans allowed two earned runs and recorded two strikeouts. Carter Lund started for the Blues, pitching three innings with two strikeouts and two earned runs allowed.

For McFarland, Austin Miller hit a sacrifice flyout and Logan Johnson hit an RBI single in the first. In the sixth, Parker Debroux hit a two-run single with two outs.

Miller took the loss, pitching five innings with two strikeouts. Miller gave up 11 runs (four earned) in the loss. Emmett Mercein pitched an inning of relief, giving up four runs and recording one strikeout.

Cambridge (11-3 overall, 6-2 division) finishes in first place in the Southeast North Division. McFarland (4-10, 3-5) ends the year in fourth place in the Southeast North Division.

Cambridge will host Evansville at CHS on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. in the first round of the Southeast Section playoffs.

The winner of that game will face the winner of Utica/Fort Atkinson on Sunday, Aug. 11. The winner of the Southeast Section playoffs advances to the Home Talent League Round Robin Tournament.

Fort Atkinson 4, Cambridge 2

The Fort Atkinson Generals doubled up the Cambridge Blues, 4-2, in Home Talent League baseball at Jones Park on Saturday afternoon.

The Southeast North Division rivals traded runs to start the game as Fort’s Conner Kienbaum singled home a two-out run in the top of the first inning. Connor O’Brien led off the Blues’ first by drawing a walk, stole second, reached third on Denver Evans’ single before scoring on a double steal play.

Fort scored the go-ahead run in the fifth, when Jay Rueth lined a two-out double to center and later came around on an outfield error.

The Generals took advantage of no-out walks to Rueth and Cole Bovre to open the eighth. After both runners moved up on the same wild pitch, Isaac Heederik’s sacrifice fly brought Rueth home to make it 3-1. With two away, Branden Zastrow lined an RBI double up the middle.

O’Brien, the leadoff man for North Division champion Cambridge, reached on a no-out error in the eighth, stole third and scored on Carter Lund’s sacrifice fly.

Cambridge threatened in the ninth against Fort newly-inserted reliever Josh Crandall, who allowed no-out singles to Logan Koch and Jared Marty to start the frame. Crandall needed just four pitches to close it out, retiring Sam Mickelson on a bunt attempt, Jake Willey on a ground ball and O’Brien on a fly ball to center.

Fort had three pitchers combine on a five-hitter. Kroix Kucken started and earned the decision, allowing a run on two hits with seven punch outs before turning it over to Isaac Heederik, who threw three innings of one-hit ball.

JT Parish started for the Blues, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits in five innings with four punch outs. Marty allowed two earned runs on two hits with seven strikeouts, four walks in four innings and was saddled with the loss.

Nate Gilbert of the Jefferson Daily Union contributed to this article.

Southeast Section Final Standings

Y — — Clinched Division

X — — Clinched Playoff Berth

Southeast North

1) Cambridge (YX) (11-3 overall, 6-2 division)

2) Fort Atkinson (X) (9-5 overall, 6-2 division)

3) Jefferson (9-5 overall, 5-3 division)

4) McFarland (4-10 overall, 3-5 division)

5) Lake Mills (0-14 overall, 0-8 division)

Southeast South

1) Utica (YX) (11-3 overall, 7-1 division)

2) Evansville (X) (9-5 overall, 6-2 division)

3) Stoughton (6-8 overall, 2-6 division)

4) Footville (6-8 overall, 3-5 division)

5) Albion (5-9 overall, 2-6 division)