AAA Legion State Baseball: Sheboygan figures it out

3 walk-offs propel squad to State

By Adam Thompson • Sheboygan Press staff • July 27, 2010

The team needed to learn how to win.

Post 83 figured it out at just the right time, and are now on the way to the state tournament.

Sheboygan (20-12) will take on Eau Claire (27-10) in the opening round of the AAA Legion State Tournament, Wednesday in Ashwaubenon. The eight-team, double-elimination event runs through Sunday.

Sheboygan is on a roll, having won seven of its last 10 games. Three of those came in the walk-off variety at the Region 4 tournament at Wildwood Park this past weekend.

…Fortuna cited the big leadership of Sam Raff, as well as captains Jared Gruenke and Grant Evans, and even Justin Reineke, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury (he hopes to return in time to play at State).

… Five pitchers started four games or more, led by Josh Gruenke, who went 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA.

Shane Fuestal (4-1, 4.20) has been a consistent No. 2 with a team-high seven starts, while Jared Gruenke, Raff and Colin Willis have also logged major innings on the mound.

But this team's strength has been its bats. While the team's cumulative ERA is a robust 5.76, it is also batting .320 with a .405 on-base percentage and 182 runs (allowing 145).

Jared Gruenke has torn up the ball, batting .413 with six doubles, two triples, two home runs and 27 RBI. Five other regulars are batting .344 or higher.

Josh Gruenke (.288, 33 runs, 20 SB) and Willis (.344, 28 runs, 16 SB) have excelled at setting things up, and Evans (.348, 20 RBI) and Ryan Hamm (.348, 24 RBI) have done equally well at knocking them in.