Lions can earn share of conference with win Thursday

By David Nordby

The Brillion News

BRILLION - The Brillion baseball team has a chance to clinch a share of the Eastern Wisconsin Conference if they beat undefeated Kiel on Thursday.

Unfortunately for the Lions, the first meeting between the two teams on Tuesday went in favor of the Raiders. Both teams entered the game undefeated against the conference.

Kiel came from behind with two runs in the seventh inning to win 4-3. Caden Milbrath doubled on a line drive to center to score Aaron Stephany. Logan Guzman singled to score Milbrath later in the inning to give Kiel its first lead of the day.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kiel got out of a jam on defense to seal the win as Brillion had runners on second and third base.  

The Lions built a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Chase Braun doubled on a line drive to centerfield to score Joe Shimek. With two outs, Hayden Cousin singled. McCormick Zutz tripled on a line drive to center to score Braun and Cousin.

Kiel held Brillion scoreless the rest of the game.

Kiel’s scoring started with the same trio of players who eventually scored the game-deciding runs in the seventh. Milbrath singled to score Stephany and put the Raiders on the board in the fifth inning. Guzman then singled to score Milbrath to pull Kiel to within 3-2.

Aiden Reinke, Kelvin Gilbertson and Blake Kettner also all had hits for the Lions.

Stephany pitched all seven innings for Kiel. Shimek and Braun both pitched for Brillion.

Kiel’s win snapped a 19-game winning streak for the Lions, but Brillion still has the chance for a share of conference on Thursday at Kiel.

"We need to continue to play with energy and urgency. Kiel is a good team but we will get another opportunity on Thursday," Coach Chad Shimek said after the game.