By Mike Ramczyk
Sports Editor
Last season, the talented Burlington baseball team dominated the regular season with two top-of-the-line starters and a bevvy of heavy hitters.
However, the higher-seeded Demons were shocked by a one-and-done playoff exit.
This season, the young Demons are experiencing the exact opposite.
A horrid April is being erased by a promising May, just two weeks from the WIAA postseason.
After a 1-6 start to the season, the Demons have scratched and clawed their way back to .500 at 8-8 after Tuesday’s 5-0 owning of Elkhorn.
It was Burlington’s fourth straight victory, and though the road doesn’t get easier with two games against SLC-leading Waterford among others, the Demons are finally playing complete baseball.
“Consistently one through nine in our order, we are taking better approaches at the plate,” said junior Cal Tully, who fired a two-hitter Tuesday in Elkhorn to spark his team. “And defensively, we’ve really cleaned things up and are playing better together, which has been a big key to our recent success.”
The pitching hasn’t hurt, either.
In five May games (4-1), Burlington is outscoring opponents 24-9, and both Tully and junior Aaron Mutter have pitched complete-game shutouts.
Sprinkle in a five-inning, two-hit effort from sophomore power pitcher Jacob Lindemann in a 7-3 win over SLC rival Union Grove, and the Burlington pitching staff is cooking.
What’s more is that the entire lineup is raking, and with 10 more regular-season games, an SLC title isn’t out of the question despite a 5-5 record.
Sure, Burlington would have to knock off Elkhorn Thursday at home and sweep Waterford, the 6th-ranked Division 1 team in the latest state polls, and the Wolverines would have to lose out, but the bottom line is that the Demons are worlds improved.
“I think we’re executing a lot better,” said Mutter. “We aren’t making errors, and we’re coming up with clutch hits.”
Burlington coach Scott Staude said Tuesday that all eight of the team’s losses have been by three runs or less, including battles with two state-ranked clubs and a defending state champion from Kentucky.
“We finally have started to put some games together with consistent play,” Staude said. “In our eight losses all of them have been close games. So we knew we were not that far away, and now we are playing with confidence. The remaining schedule is very challenging, but I believe we are up for the challenge. We hope to finish strong and get ready for the playoffs.”
Burlington is in a three games in three days stretch, with contests at Horlick Field in Racine against St. Cat’s Wednesday and a home game versus Elkhorn Thursday.
With a rested Mutter most likely pitching Wednesday and Lindemann set to battle the Elks Thursday, the Demons are winning the arms race.
Tully delivers on the mound
Mutter led the way with a 3-for-4 night with an RBI, and James Tully and Mitch Klug each added two hits in Tuesday’s victory over the Elks.
Burlington utilized its speed on the base paths, as the team stole a whopping 10 bases. Klug led the way with three, and Tanner Strommen, Dane Helnore and Mutter each had two.
The Demons broke open a 2-0 game with a three-run seventh to seal the deal.
On May 7, Burlington swept a home doubleheader against Union Grove in a pivotal matchup of two SLC teams working their way up the standings.
In game one, Lindemann struck out eight in five innings, but the bats didn’t wake up until the fifth, when Burlington struck with six runs to take a 7-0 lead.
James Tully smacked two doubles and drove in four runs, and Bryan Sturtevant finished 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Luke Gannon added two RBIs.
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