Burlington High School, Waterford High School

Victory forces Burlington-Waterford winner-take-all throwdown for conference championship

by Ed Nadolski Views: 25

Demons snap Waterford’s 14-game win streak

Burlington catcher Aaron Sturdevant can't make the tag in time Tuesday, as Zach Ksobiech slides in safely for a run. Waterford was held to one hit. (Rick Benavides/Southern Lakes Newspapers)
Burlington catcher Aaron Sturdevant can’t make the tag in time Tuesday, as Zach Ksobiech slides in safely for a run. Waterford was held to one hit. (Rick Benavides/Southern Lakes Newspapers)

 

PREVIEW: Waterford (19-3, 12-1 SLC) at Burlington (16-4, 12-1), 7 p.m., Thursday, Ginger Beaumont Field, Milwaukee Avenue, Burlington

Waterford ace Tony Ray vs. Burlington #2 Aaron Mutter

 

By Mike Ramczyk

[email protected]

Jacob Lindemann was his usual dominant self Tuesday night, Dale Damon came up with a clutch single late and the Burlington Demons are in position to win the Southern Lakes Conference championship.

Lindemann, a 6-foot-4, 16-year-old junior, utilized his plus fastball for a one-hitter, and host Waterford was mostly overwhelmed at the plate in a 6-2 Burlington victory.

After the game, several Waterford players said it was the strongest pitchers they’ve faced this year.

Waterford dropped to 19-3 overall and 12-1 in the Southern Lakes Conference, and its month-long 14-game win streak is over.

With the victory, Burlington improved to 16-4 and 12-1 in the SLC.

The teams play under the lights at Ginger Beaumont Field in Burlington Thursday night at 7 p.m.

The game will be broadcast live on 89.1 WBSD, the Burlington High School radio station.

“We definitely were a little nervous,” said Burlington senior Cal Tully after the game. “We know how good Waterford has been the last two years, especially here.”

“They’re always a great team. We knew we had to win two games this week to win conference, and we just wanted to get the first game for sure.”

Tully made a sensational over-the-shoulder basket catch to rob a potential extra-base hit in the third inning with Burlington clinging to a 3-2 lead.

Burlington junior Jacob Lindemann is 7-0 this season with a 0.83 ERA. Though 16 years old, he's committed to play college baseball at Division 1 Wichita State University, and several Major League Baseball scouts have attended his games. (Rick Benavides/SLN)
Burlington junior Jacob Lindemann is 7-0 this season with a 0.83 ERA. Though 16 years old, he’s committed to play college baseball at Division 1 Wichita State University, and several Major League Baseball scouts have attended his games. (Rick Benavides/SLN)

At the plate, he went 2-for-4 with a double.

Tanner Strommen also led the Demons with two hits and two runs scored.

Every player in the Burlington lineup notched at least one hit.

Damon’s two-run single in the seventh broke open a 4-2 Demon advantage and iced the victory.

Lindemann retired the Wolverines 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.

Damon, a junior who bats from the left side of the plate, finished with three RBIs.

Bryan Sturdevant and Aaron Mutter each tallied a hit and two runs.

Waterford’s runs came off Burlington errors in the second inning.

Lindemann needed 97 pitches for his complete game victory, which makes him 7-0 this season.

His already-microscopic ERA of 0.97 improved to 0.81.

Lindemann has allowed five earned runs in 43 innings this season.

For Waterford, Austin Hoefs allowed two earned runs in six innings. The Wolverines committed three errors, which led to two unearned runs.

Nolan DeGreef gave up two hits and an earned run in the seventh.

Zach Ksobiach and Chris Saltzmann accounted for Waterford’s hits.

Ksobiach and Ryan Dietrich each scored a run.

Burlington’s win was its third straight, and the Demons are 8-1 in the last nine.

Projected starting pitchers for Thursday night’s SLC title bout are Mutter and Waterford ace Tony Ray.

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