DENMARK, Wis.–
When two of the best teams in the state in any sport, I get excited. I get even more excited when one of those teams happened to be one that I get paid to announce, and I’m getting paid to watch phenomenal teams go at it.
Those were the shoes I was in on Tuesday for some high school baseball action between the West De Pere Phantoms, who were an honorable mention in this week’s WBC Power Rankings, and the fourth-ranked team in the state and top-ranked division two team in the Denmark Vikings.
As I was announcing the starting lineups, I realized how special this game was going to be. The Phantoms had ace Brendan Meissner on the mound, who is signed to play collegiate baseball with the University of Illinois. The Vikings had this season’s most consistent pitcher on the mound, North Dakota University commit Riley Pelischek.
Pelischek got off to a rocky start, walking to the first two batters he saw and giving up a hit down the left field line to none other than Meissner.
Following a pitch that Denmark catcher Ben Wyngaard had a tough time handling, West De Pere was able to go up early with leadoff batter Sam De Ruyter scoring from second base and putting the Phantoms up 1-0 in the top of the first.
The Vikings were able to strike back in the bottom of the second, with Riley Pelischek singling to center field. Pelischek was able to steal second base before the following batter, center fielder Brad Ausloos, was able to advance Pelischek on a sacrifice bunt. With Pelischek on third and one out, catcher Ben Wyngaard was able to get a solid swing of the bat to shallow center field for an RBI single and a tie ball game.
Pinch runner Joshua Bonlander would steal second and be in the same position that Pelischek was in. The ninth batter Derrick Umentum was able to give the Vikings the lead with a beautiful hit past the Phantoms’ second baseman, Gehret Evans, and Bonlander would trot in from second to give the Vikings a 2-1 lead.
The rocky start for Pelischek turned into a beautiful and astonishing finish.
Striking out seven in the first three innings, Pelischek knew he had to finish strong in the final four innings.
“I found myself in more tougher situations than I’m used to, a lot of guys in scoring positions. I just battled,” Pelischek told me after the game, “I had my changeup working better than usual today, which helped. I just trusted myself and trusted all my teammates who made all the plays they needed to in the field and we came out on top, which is a good thing.”
From there, it really was all about finishing. That hit, the one that Meissner hit off of Pelischek? Yeah, that was the only hit the red-hot Pelischek allowed in his seven innings of work. He finished with 14 strikeouts.
Vikings’ shortstop Tanner Umentum was able to find himself against the Illinois commit, Meissner, who was throwing some really solid pitches, but Umentum, the Chicago State University commit, still found a way to go three-for-three, all of which were base hits, in the 2-1 victory.
“I just went up there a plan, I knew he was going to be throwing strikes, he’s a college pitcher, going to Illinois, so I knew he was going to be throwing strikes and trying to get ahead so I just sat fastball and I let my bat go to work,” Umentum told me after the win, “I had faith in all the batting behind me that would try to get me around and try to get everyone else around.”
The top-ranked team in division two now stands at a record of 15-0 on the season. The Vikings know it’s not easy to go 15-0, but Pelischek and Umentum also know, the road ahead is a long one.
“It’s a good feeling that we’ve been taking care of business like we’ve needed to,” Pelischek told me with a smirk, “but 15 is only a little over halfway. We’ve got a long ways to go.”
“One game could ruin it all for us,” Umentum said with a motivated look, “We’ve just got to stay humble and stay hungry.”
The Phantoms will get their shot at a rematch on Thursday when they host the Vikings.
~Alex Strouf (@LetsGoAlex)
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