Burlington High School, Uncategorized

WIAA PLAYOFFS: Deja vu decimates Burlington baseball, season ends

by Ed Nadolski Views: 16

Fourth-inning meltdown a huge momentum swing

Burlington senior Eric Behnke appears to be safe at home plate for the go-ahead run in a 5-5 game, but the Racine Park catcher had applied the tag for the outs seconds prior. Behnke was one of two Demon runners gunned down at home by Park leftfielder Kyle Urban. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Burlington senior Eric Behnke appears to be safe at home plate for the go-ahead run in a 5-5 game, but the Racine Park catcher had applied the tag for the outs seconds prior. Behnke was one of two Demon runners gunned down at home by Park leftfielder Nick Urban. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

 

By Mike Ramczyk

Sports Editor

For the second consecutive year, the Burlington baseball team’s season came to an end at the hands of the Racine Park Panthers.

The stage was the same: the higher-seeded Demons hosted the lowly Panthers (8-16) at Beaumont Field, ready to knock off a beatable team and make some noise in the playoffs.

Despite opening the game with leads of 4-0 and 5-1 through three innings, the Demons collapsed in giving up a four-run fourth and eventually lost, 7-5, in front of a packed house at Ginger Beaumont Field Tuesday afternoon.

Burlington senior catcher Luke Gannon had three hits in his final game as a Demon. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Burlington senior catcher Luke Gannon had three hits in his final game as a Demon. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

Burlington finished the season 12-13 and left head coach Scott Staude searching for answers after the game.

“It’s all about that fourth inning,” Staude said. “That’s a microcosm of our season. When we need a big play, we haven’t been able to make it. We made some mental errors and some physical errors. You have a couple errors, and as a pitcher, your head goes down and your shoulders go down.”

“You’re not 12-13 because you play great baseball. We chose the wrong time to play bad.”

Burlington squelched an opportunity to make up for last season’s early exit from the playoffs to the visiting Panthers despite building a comfortable 4-0 cushion.

Senior Luke Gannon connected on a single in the first, which sent Eric Behnke sprinting home. The throw from Nick Urban was on its mark, but the Park catcher dropped the ball and gave Burlington the early lead.

Urban would go on to throw out two Demon runners at the plate for the game, which turned out to be the difference.

In the second, the Demons went off, scoring three runs to take command.

Bryan Sturtevant got things started with an RBI triple that scored James Tully, and Mitch Klug then drove in Sturtevant.

Tanner Strommen rocked a single to score Klug in the second, and Burlington had a commanding four-run lead.

After Sturtevant smoked a liner past a diving right-fielder, and the ball trickled to the fence, another Demon run scored, now 5-1, and the rout appeared to be back on.

 

Burlington senior Dane Helnore was very active at third base Tuesday evening. The future UW-Stout infielder played his last game as a Demon, along with five other seniors. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Burlington senior Dane Helnore was very active at third base Tuesday evening. The future UW-Stout infielder played his last game as a Demon, along with five other seniors. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

Everything that can go wrong…

Starting pitcher Aaron Mutter, who hadn’t allowed a hit through three innings, suddenly couldn’t find his command.

He walked four batters in the frame. A wild pitch cut it to 5-2, and hits by Luke Kinsley and Griffin Gutierrez made it interesting at 5-4.

With two outs, a high chopper short-hopped Burlington third baseman Dane Helnore, and the comeback was complete.

By this point, Park starter Ben Lehman was gaining supreme confidence. He finished the game with four scoreless innings.

Jacob Lindemann was solid in relief of Aaron Mutter. Lindemann was able to stop the bleeding in the decisive fourth inning. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Jacob Lindemann was solid in relief of Aaron Mutter. Lindemann was able to stop the bleeding in the decisive fourth inning. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

In the fifth, Park tallied the go-ahead base hit up the middle with two outs in the fifth, though a good play on the ground ball would’ve ended the inning.

With one out in the seventh and runners on the corners, Kinsley bested the drawn-in Burlington infield for another RBI single to add an insurance run at 7-5.

Staude said the Demons have been inconsistent all year, and it showed again Tuesday.

“I’m so frustrated,” he said. “I don’t feel like anyboyd puts in more time than our staff. When you feel like you should be getting more quality wins, that’s frustrating. Any time you feel like you’re working harder than anyone else, you want results.”

In the bottom of the fourth, Gannon smashed a base hit to left, and it looked like it would score Behnke.

But the left-fielder Urban scooped the ball in the shallow outfield and zinged a perfect line drive to the catcher, which applied the tag to cut down Behnke and keep the game tied at 5-5.

The sixth inning brought the Demons’ best chance at a comeback. Dane Helnore and A.J. Baker singles put two on with nobody out, but Burlington couldn’t capitalize.

Helnore gives the pitcher a cold stare but also a thumbs up after being hit in the shoulder by a pitch. Lehman didn't want any part of the hot-hitting Helnore. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Helnore gives the pitcher a cold stare but also a thumbs up after being hit in the shoulder by a pitch. Lehman didn’t want any part of the hot-hitting Helnore. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

Cal Tully struck out looking, then Sturtevant, who tripled and doubled in his first two at-bats, grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.

Finally in the seventh, Burlington brought the tying run to the plate twice but didn’t score.

Mutter cruised along on the mound and had a no-hitter until the fourth. In 4 2/3 innings, he only allowed four hits, but a season-high nine walks doomed him.

Mutter ended up allowing six runs, all earned.

Jacob Lindemann relieved Mutter and stopped the bleeding in the fourth, then Cal Tully pitched the seventh.

Both Lindemann and Tully allowed a run.

“He battled,” Staude said of Mutter. “He didn’t pitch bad. We just didn’t make the plays.”

Burlington smashed 15 hits compared to only six for Park.

Gannon led the charge with three hits, and Strommen, Mutter, Helnore, Baker and Sturtevant each had two knocks.

 

A.J. Baker had a strong showing in his last game as a Demon with two hits. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
A.J. Baker had a strong showing in his last game as a Demon with two hits. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

Thank you, seniors

Staude commended the contributions to the baseball program from seniors Evan Schlitz, James Tully, Helnore, Gannon, Behnke and Baker.

“We have six really team-focused seniors that will be hard to replace,” he said. “We’re losing a good, core group of not only good baseball players but really great kids.”

Staude said the team will miss their leadership on the field and in the locker room. He said they carried themselves well.

Burlington sophomore Zach Campbell has no choice but to jump out of the way of a Ben Lehman pitch. Lehman also beaned Helnore and showed no signs of backing down in a complete-game victory. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)
Burlington sophomore Zach Campbell has no choice but to jump out of the way of a Ben Lehman pitch. Lehman also beaned Helnore and showed no signs of backing down in a complete-game victory. (Mike Ramczyk/Standard Press)

“It’s just frustrating (for them) because nobody wants to lose their last game, no matter where it is.”

Though six players are gone, the Demons return starters Strommen, Cal Tully, Lindemann, Mutter, Sturtevant, Campbell and Mitch Klug next season.

Sturtevant led the team in hitting (.406), and Mutter (.356, 26 RBI, 5 HR) and Strommen (.333) had solid seasons.

Most importantly, Burlington will welcome back the majority of its talented pitching staff.

The top four hurlers in terms of innings, Lindemann, Mutter, Cal Tully and Sturtevant and 11 of the 12 pitching wins are back.

Despite two straight seasons of one-and-done playoff mishaps, the future is bright for the young Demons.

 

Racine Park 7, Burlington 5

Leading hitters – BUR: Gannon 3×4; Strommen 2×4; Mutter 2×4; Helnore 2×3; Baker 2×4; Sturtevant 2×3, 3B, 2 RBI. RP: Lehman 2×3. Pitchers – BUR: Mutter 4 2/3 IP, 6 ER, 9 BB, 4 H; Lindemann (4th) 1 1/3, 1 H; Cal Tully (7th) 1 IP, 1 H. RP: Lehman 7 IP, 15 H, 5 ER. Records – RP 8-16; BUR 12-13.

 

2015 Season Leaders

Batting average (min. 30 AB): Bryan Sturtevant .406; Aaron Mutter .356; Luke Gannon .338; Tanner Strommen .333; Dane Helnore .282. RBI: Mutter 26; Gannon 18; Helnore 16; A.J. Baker, James Tully 8. Runs: Mutter, Helnore 16; Strommen 15; Sturtevant 14; Gannon 11; Cal Tully 10. Doubles: Helnore, Baker 6; Mutter 5; Cal Tully, Evan Schlitz 3. Home runs: Mutter 5; Gannon 3; Helnore 2; Strommen 1. Walks: Helnore 17; Cal Tully 13; Mutter, Gannon 11; Helnore 8; Mitch Klug 7.

 

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