Hoppers sweep Holmen 17U before losing to Holmen’s 19U team
Prairie du Chien’s Bryce Lenzendorf watches his base hit. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Noah Pedretti dives back to first base in time to beat a throw over from the pitcher. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Starting pitcher Carter Copsey checks on the Holmen runner at first base. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Dawson Eastman finishes his swing despite nearly falling down to one knee. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Left fielder Drake Ingham (center) makes a tough, running catch in front of teammates Noah Pedretti (left) and Brady Lenzendorf (right). (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
The Hoppers' Westin Marx connects with the pitch. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Brady Lenzendorf reacts after being hit by a pitch early in the Hoppers loss to Holmen. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Jack MacEachern delivers a pitch in relief for the Hoppers. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
By Derick Kelly
The Prairie du Chien Grasshoppers Varsity Legion baseball team opened up their home schedule on Monday, June 17 by hosting the Holmen 17U team and came away with a doubleheader sweep.
Game one saw the Hoppers jump out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning before holding on for a 5-3 win. The Hoppers offense was lead by Carter Copsey (2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs) and Noah Pedretti (2-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored, one walk and one RBI).
Bryce Lenzendorf earned the complete game victory on the mound for the Hoppers, allowing just three runs on six hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts.
Game two also went to Prairie du Chien by the score of 5-1 as the Hoppers scored two runs in the first inning and single runs in the second, third and fifth innings.
Westin Marx (2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs), Bryce Lenzendorf (1-for-2 with one run scored) and Brady Lenzendorf (1-for-2 with a triple, one run scored and one walk) paced the Hoppers.
Dylan Wright picked up the win with a strong pitching performance (one run allowed on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in seven innings.
Three nights later, it was Holmen’s 19U team’s turn to visit Prairie du Chien and both teams put on an entertaining contest with no shortage in offense as Holmen came away with a 14-10 victory in seven innings.
The Hoppers took a 2-0 lead after the first inning and then a 4-1 lead after two innings. A six-run third inning gave Holmen their first lead of the game before PdC responded with one run in their half of the third inning to make the score 7-5. Holmen added another run in the fourth before the Hoppers tied the game 8-8 with three runs in the fourth inning.
Holmen would add six more runs over the course of the next two innings while also keeping PdC off the scoreboard to take a 14-8 lead into the final inning.
Prairie du Chien held Holmen scoreless in the seventh inning before scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning but the rally fell short as Holmen earned the 14-10 win.
Marx (2-for-5 with a double, one run scored and two RBIs), Bryce Lenzendorf (2-for-3 with two runs and two walks) and Drake Ingham (2-for-4), Noah Pedretti (1-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs and one walk) and Hunter Jones (1-for-2 with two runs scored, two RBIs and two walks) lead the Prairie offense.
Carter Copsey, Jack MacEachern and Ingham each took the pitching mound in the loss for the Hoppers.
Following this past Monday night’s home doubleheader against Riverdale, the Hoppers host a doubleheader against Westby tonight at 5 and 7 p.m.
Prairie du Chien is back on the road on Thursday, June 27 when they travel to Bangor for a doubleheader at 5 and 7 p.m.
