By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
This is the kind of stuff kids tell their kids and even their grandkids when they get old.
The Burlington Little League 11U Frank Roth All-Star team was down in the dumps, three outs away from letting a state championship slip through its fingers.
It was the bottom of the ninth inning July 30 in the state title tilt in Waupun, and North Central had just taken a 4-2 lead after two innings of scoreless extra innings.
That’s when Burlington coach David Gill rallied his troops, telling them all of the coaches believed in them. They could do this.
What happened next will be remembered in Burlington Little League conversations forever.
Mason Gill led off with a walk, Connor O’Reilly was beaned and Drew Stutzman singled to right to load the bases.
Then, Gage Peterson singled to score Gill, and Isaac Dow hit a base knock to score pinch runner Zayne Koehnke, tying the score at 4-4.
North Central recovered with two quick outs, setting the stage for Jack Tully.
Tully found himself in an 0-2 hole, but battled back to 3-2. The sixth pitch was called low, and Stutzman trotted home with his arms raised in victory.
Burlington capped off a 5-0 state tournament with a thrilling 5-4, extra-inning classic win.
“What a ride it was,” said coach Craig Wiemer Tuesday via email. “I still think about the game and just the experience of the tournament and being able to coach this great group of kids.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of these kids and the team team they became.”
Coach Brent Sagedal said the championship game was a “dogfight.”
“The little pep talk and patience by our hitters is what sealed the deal for the championship game,” he said. “A great at-bat by Jack Tully didn’t hurt, either. A walk-off walk is unusual, but was just as cool for the boys.”
“When I saw the boys’ reactions during the pictures with the parents afterward, I sensed nothing but pride in the way the Burlington boys handled themselves the entire tournament. This was in every way a team.”
The week-long event was packed with Burlington parents and fans, though many drove the four-hour round trip back-and-forth every day. Others stayed in a hotel only two blocks from the field, which featured field turf, something Burlington wasn’t familiar with.
None of the conditions mattered, as the Burlington boys out-hit, out-pitched and out-played each opponent, despite possibly being the smallest team, according to Sagedal. Burlington out-hit its opponents, 71-30.
“As a coach, I have to give great credit to the parents of these kids,” he said. “Every parent supported the coaches and the team.”
The championship game was a pitcher’s duel, as Ty Sagedal went seven strong innings to start the game. Gill relieved him and shut the door.
Reid Rainer led off the game for Burlington with a home run.
North Central went up 2-1 in the sixth, but Burlington answered with its first comeback, one run, in the bottom half to send it into extra innings.
Sadedal and Gill only allowed six hits and struck out 10 for the game.
Stutzman finished the tournament 13-for-19, a .684 clip, which Sagedal described as “incredible.”
Sagedal added it was a team effort on the hill.
“Griffin McFarland and Jack Tully both pitched well in situations where we needed them to,” he said. “They ate up precious innings. Reid Rainer and Drew Stutzman each gave the team a quality start. Pitching wins at any level and all the boys threw the ball really well.”
“This team won because they had great passion for the game, great hustle, great composure and pretty good talent mixed in as well.”
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