Baseball Cardinals fall in sectional semis

WAUNAKEE — For decades now, Middleton and Sun Prairie have headed to different sectionals when the playoffs arrive. This season, though, both Cardinals — two of the state’s traditional powers — were thrown in the same postseason pod.

And while many lamented that fact, Middleton first baseman Caden Gmur viewed it as an opportunity.

“I just looked at it and saw a third chance to go ahead and go beat them,” said Gmur, whose team lost both regular season meetings against Sun Prairie. “We wanted to show them who we are.”

Middleton did just that during a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal held at Waunakee High School Tuesday. Unfortunately for MHS, Sun Prairie showed even more.

Davis Hamilton belted a solo home run in the fifth inning that broke a 3-3 tie and propelled Sun Prairie to a 5-3 win. Middleton finished the year 19-9, while Sun Prairie improved to 24-3 and won the sectional title later in the day with a 9-1 win over Waunakee.

“It was a close game and we felt confident,” Gmur said. “We know what these guys do and how to attack them. We just didn’t succeed.”

Middleton seemed on its way to success early on, when it struck for a pair of runs in the first inning.

Designated hitter/pitcher Easton Zempel led off the game with a single to right on an 0-2 pitch. Then with one out, shortstop Hayden Hellenbrand doubled to the gap in right center putting runners on second and third.

Gmur followed with a double down the left field line scoring both Zempel and Paulsen and giving Middleton a 2-0 lead. Gmur shortened his swing and turned on a change-up from Hamilton — the Big Eight Conference’s Player of the Year.

“Our energy was great,” Zempel said. “That’s one thing we needed from everybody was energy and we really had it that first inning. It was awesome.”

Middleton manager Brent Jorgensen agreed.

“It was exciting,” Jorgensen said. “(Hamilton) throws a lot of strikes and our plan was to shorten up on the bat and treat it like a two-strike approach. And for the most part we did some good things, especially early in the game.”

Middleton’s early momentum was short-lived, though, as Sun Prairie answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Middleton starter JT Hockers, who had thrown extremely well in recent weeks, was knocked out of the game without recording an out.

“The last three weeks, he was throwing better than anybody,” Jorgensen said. “And at this time of the year you ride the hot hand. Obviously he just didn’t have it today which happens, especially in high school sports.”

Hockers gave up a pair of hits, walked a batter and had a throwing error before being lifted for Zempel. Fortunately for Middleton, though, Zempel was sensational most of the day and worked his way out of the inning on just six pitches and didn’t allow any more damage.

“My mindset was I’ve got to throw strikes,” Zempel said. “Put it in play, get outs. Once they scored their first few runs, I was ready. I was ready when they called me.”

Boy was he ever.

Zempel retired the first nine Sun Prairie batters he faced and kept Middleton in the game. The 6-foot-6 right hander was hitting his spots, mixing pitches, and throwing his slider — a pitch he recently added to his repertoire — for strikes.

“My slider has been very effective for me and I’ve been able to throw it consistently for strikes,” Zempel said. “I also located my fastball well. I felt pretty good.”

Middleton tied things up in the third when senior left fielder Stephen Paulsen walked with one out. After Hellenbrand struck out, Sun Prairie’s Hamilton uncorked three straight wild pitches and Paulsen came around to score.

“I thought we were in decent shape,” Jorgensen said.

They were — until the fifth.

That’s when Sun Prairie’s Hamilton — a North Dakota State recruit — came to the plate with two outs and the bases empty. On an 0-1 pitch, though, Hamilton belted a home run to right to give Sun Prairie a 4-3 edge.

“He’s a great player,” Zempel said of Hamilton. “And he absolutely hammered it.”

Sun Prairie’s next two batters singled off of Zempel. Then MHS catcher Robby Erickson had a throwing error while trying to pick a runner of first, which allowed Sun Prairie to add an insurance run and grab a 5-3 lead.

Meanwhile, Hamilton settled in on the mound for Sun Prairie. In the last four innings, he gave up just three hits and faced just three batters over the minimum.

“He’s really good at hitting his spots and working outside,” Gmur said of Hamilton. “Once he knows the umpire’s zone, he’s very good at utilizing that for himself. He’s got a really good pitch mix and keeps you on your toes.”

Zempel, on the other hand, gave the Cardinals all they could asked for — and then some.

Zempel threw six innings, gave up two runs and seven hits. He also struck out 10 and walked just two.

“I was ready,” Zempel said. “I was ready for everything.”

Jorgensen agreed with Zempel.

“We wanted him to close out the game,” Jorgensen said. “Obviously we didn't think he’d be closing out the game from the first inning on, but we wanted him to close out the game.

“We felt he had the right stuff to get us through and see what happens. He was really locked in. Just a great performance.”

In the end, though, Middleton simply couldn't do enough against Hamilton. And its season came to a screeching halt.

That means the end of the road for Middleton’s 13 seniors — an extremely tight 13-person senior class that was trying to become MHS’ first team since 2016 to qualify for state.

“It’s tough,” Zempel said. “We’re just so close. We bond so well together, we’ll always be in touch.”

That was music to Jorgensen’s ear.

“They all stuck with it and we kept the group together,” Jorgensen said. “They’re a really tight knit group, so when we were making teams, we wanted to keep the closeness together.

“It definitely looked a little bit silly showing up with 20 guys to games, but they’re a tight group and they really helped push the expectation forward. They earned the right to keep all 13 guys on the team, and they went on to have a great year.”

June 7

WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal

Sun Prairie 5, Middleton 3

Middleton …... 201 000 0 — 3 6 2

Sun Prairie ……... 300 020 x — 5  9 1

Pitchers (ip-h-r-er-so-bb) — M: JT Hockers (0-3-3-2-0-1), Easton Zempel (W: 6-7-2-2-10-2). SP: Davis Hamilton (L: 7-6-3-3-5-1).

Leading hitters — Mid: Caden Gmur 2x3, Easton Zempel 2x4; SP: Jackson Hunley 2x3, Addison Ostrenga 2x3. HR — Davis Hamilton (SP). 2B — Hayden Hellenbrand (M), Caden Gmur (M).