WIAA SECTIONAL FINAL: Burlington 6, Kenosha Bradford 1
3rd-seeded Demons rout way through sectional
By Mike Ramczyk
“This team is special, let’s keep climbing.”
Burlington High School baseball head coach Scott Staude said these words with conviction in a huddle near home plate, while cameras flashed from parents and media, students rushed the Carthage College baseball field and Demon players embraced in unabashed happiness.
The hoots, hollers, hugs and smiles radiated as bright as the stadium lights, as Burlington celebrated its first trip to the state tournament since 2005 with a 6-2 victory over Kenosha Bradford.
The Demons, seeded third and by chance the highest remaining seed of the four teams, took care of business and showed why their Southern Lakes Conference championship and 22-5 record weren’t flukes.
“We played two great games today, against teams that beat us earlier in the year,” Staude said. “It was a great job by our kids of competing all day.”
“We hit the ball hard. We were aggressive on the bases. In a sectional, you give up one run in one game and two in another. What does that say? Our pitchers (Aaron Mutter and Jacob Lindemann) and our catcher, Aaron Sturtevant, were locked in all day.”
Mutter masters Devils
Mutter, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior who’s committed to Division 2 Winona State University, showed why the next level coaches want him to pitch.
He struck out eight batters, and his fastball seemed to gain velocity throughout the game.
When the Bradford batters jumped on his pitches early, what looked like a straight heater either dipped or slid away from the right-handed batters.
The change of speeds had several hitters flailing desperately for swinging strikeouts.
“My velocity has picked up since the Waterford game (SLC title game two weeks ago),” Mutter said. “It feels really good to make it to state. Since we had so much talent through Little League, we kind of assumed it would carry over.”
“Since I was a sophomore, we’ve had good teams. We are really good this year. If you have a bad night, you already know someone else will have a good one. It’s a good feeling to have.”
Mutter said he’ll be ready to pitch if needed Tuesday, when Burlington faces defending state champion Janesville Craig (26-2).
The Cougars were ranked No. 3 in the latest (May 23) wissports.net Division 1 state rankings. Burlington came in at No. 15.
The No. 1 team, Kenosha Indian Trail, lost in a regional final. No. 2 Arrowhead won Tuesday to advance to state.
A long day
Approximately 75 minutes before the sectional final began, Burlington wrapped up a 5-1 victory over Racine Horlick in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal, which was also played at Carthage College.
In the first game of the sectional, Bradford came from behind late to knock off Wilmot, which had a 2-0 lead in the sixth.
The Demons were visibly calm about 6:15 p.m., checking their cell phones quietly in the dugout and taking some swings in the batting cage adjacent to the diamond.
The entire day was about reaching the ultimate goal of a state tournament berth, and Burlington’s focus never wavered.
“It feels great,” said junior Zach Campbell, who finished with two hits and an RBI. “This is the second time I’ve gone to state on any level. In 2011, we went to state for Little League and were on TV on ESPN.”
“We’ve been all business since we won conference. We knew what we had to do to get to state. We came here today, and we got the job done.”
What’s the secret of this year’s Demons?
“We don’t like to lose,” Campbell added. “We grit it out and do what we need to get the ‘W.’ We like to talk a lot during the game and have fun.”
“I’ve been playing with these guys since T-ball, since I was 6. We’ve got good chemistry.”
Burlington enjoys big innings
Burlington totaled seven hits, but it benefitted from two big innings.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the third, Burlington countered with three runs in the bottom half. The first pair came on two of the Red Devils’ five errors, and the other came on a fielder’s choice.
Aaron Sturdevant and Zach Campbell had RBIs in the sixth as the Demons added three runs, which came after two more Bradford throwing errors.
Campbell and shortstop Cal Tully tallied hits in the sixth.
Grant Tully, a sophomore outfielder, beat out a bunt single in the third and scored.
In the victory over Horlick, Dale Damon and Cal Tully came through with two-run singles in the third inning.
Jacob Lindemann fired a four-hitter with seven strikeouts.
Damon and Bryan Sturdevant each went 2 for 3, with Damon driving in three of the Burlington runs.
Horlick finished 17-9.
If you go
What: WIAA State Baseball Tournament
Where: Fox Cities Stadium, 2400 North Casaloma Drive, Appleton
When: Tuesday, June 14, 10:30 a.m.
Who: Burlington (22-5) vs. Janesville Craig (26-2)
The skinny – Burlington will begin its title pursuit with a 10:30 a.m. Tuesday quarterfinal against the defending state champion Cougars at the home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Minor League baseball team and Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Craig’s only losses this year came to Big Eight conference foes Madison West and Middleton, who’s also in the D1 state field. Sun Prairie, another Big 8 school, joins the eight-team tournament.
If Burlington wins, it plays a state semifinal at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Division 1 state championship is Thursday, June 16 at 6 p.m.
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