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Grasshoppers take third at state—PdC American Legion baseball season comes to an end

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The Prairie du Chien team celebrates following a two-RBI homerun by Casey Hogenson. For more photos, please check out the Courier Press' Facebook page. (Photo by Caitlin Bittner)

By Caitlin Bittner

For the Prairie du Chien Grasshoppers, it was a long and memorable weekend of baseball action thanks to the American Legion State Tournament. Ending the tournament with a third-place finish was both exciting and heart-wrenching to players and fans.

Here are a few of the highlights from each of the five Prairie du Chien games this weekend.

Game 1: PdC vs. Denmark

The first game of the tournament gave the Hoppers a 1-3 win over Denmark. Although Denmark recorded the first points of the game at the bottom of the second inning, the Grasshoppers battled back in the top of the sixth. Pitcher Chas Sagedahl and Casey Hogenson each hit doubles, bringing in three runs. Sagedahl took the win for the Grasshoppers, as well as carded two RBIs. Hogenson recorded one RBI.

Game 2: PdC vs. Altoona

In Thursday night’s game against Altoona, Hogenson was the first pitcher of the evening. Altoona started the evening off with three runs, but Prairie du Chien rallied to score seven runs at the bottom of the inning.

Sagedahl and Hogenson each carded RBI singles on the inning, while a triple by Dylan Yeomans brought in two RBIs. Finally, Hunter Sheckler ended the inning with a homerun and three RBIs. After just one inning, the score was 7-3, with the Hoppers in the lead.

In the second inning, Jon Dyer was brought in to replace Hogenson, and Altoona scored three runs on the inning.

A Hogenson single brought Brian McNett in for a score in the bottom of the second. After advancing to third on a Yeomans’ sacrifice, Hogenson also scored on a Gavin Greene single. The inning ended 9-6, with the Hoppers still in the lead.

The bottom of the third saw Gavin Gillitzer scoring on a Dyer double, Chad Mara coming home on a Sagedahl single and Dyer running in on a Hogenson single, bringing the score at the end of the third to 12-6.

The fourth inning was scoreless, and the game was called at the top of the fifth due to heavy rainfall. The score was 12-10, Grasshoppers still in the lead.

The game continued at 11 a.m. Friday morning, with the Grasshoppers scoring one run at the bottom of the fifth. 

In the top of the sixth, Zach Neisius came in to pitch and Altoona gained another run, bringing the score to 13-12.

At the top of the seventh inning, Sagedahl reprised his pitching role and the Hoppers managed to keep Altoona at bay, ending the game with an out at first base and a runner stranded on second.

Game 3: PdC vs. Viroqua

The Hoppers third game yielded their first loss of the tournament, and they fell to Viroqua, 0-6.

Game 4: PdC vs. West Salem

Battling back from their loss, the Hoppers were ready to take on West Salem. Although West Salem recorded the first point, Prairie du Chien fought back in the third inning, with two RBIs on a Hogenson single. 

The fourth inning brought in the rest of the game’s points, with West Salem scoring one and the Hoppers scoring three—a single by Dyer scored Yeomans, a sacrifice by Peyton Hall plated McNett and another single by Hogenson scored Dyer. Prairie du Chien won the game, 5-2.

Game 5: PdC vs. Waupun

The game started scoreless until the top of the second, when Waupun tallied the first two points.

At the bottom of the fourth, a homerun by Hogenson also brought in Hall, tying the score, 2-2.

Waupun scored again at the top of the fifth, but the Hoppers answered with a point of their own following a steal to third base by McNett, to put him in scoring position for Hall’s right field double.

The top of the seventh was trouble for Prairie du Chien as a controversial call landed a Waupun player in a position to be the winning run of the game.

Following their 3-4 victory over Prairie du Chien, Waupun went on to garner first place in the tournament, edging out Viroqua, 12-7.

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