Crow River Review CR Review - Region 7C Program 8/4/16 | Page 14

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Crow River Revie
Review

The Region 7C Tournament 2016 preview
REGION PREVIEW
PREVIEW, from 2

The Green Isle Irish, runners up in the
2015 Class C state tournament, are posied for another shot at the title. Like the
Bluejays, the Irish send a potent lineup to
the plate each and every game. They also
have a nice core group of pitchers who can
be called upon at any t ime for some strong
innings.
The biggest strength for the Irish has to
be their depth. With so many talented players, the Irish get production in their lineup
from top to bottom.
Aaron Biagouette leads the way for the
Irish offensively. He posts a .455 average
and leads the team in hits. Alex Twenge
knows how to get on base and get across
home plate as he finished the regular season tied for third in runs scored with 20.
The Irish also have a solid pitching staff
as well. As a team, they posted a 2.69 ERA.
Alex Twenge has been pretty much unhittable this season. In 34 innings of work,
he‘s given up 17 hits and just four runs,
while striking out 45. Mac Zachow is also a
key name to keep an eye for the Irish as he
leads them in wins with four. Twenge and
Max Langheinrich have four wins on the
mound for the Irish.
The Irish are the No. 3 seed in the Region
7C tournament and will be a dangerous
team to face. With a complete lineup from
top to bottom, as well as a strong pitching
staff, the Irish are a team that looks to be
headed for a deep run in the tournament
and get back to the state tournament.
The Irish are 9-2 against teams in the
tournament.

#4 Winsted (14-5 overall, 12-5 in
CRVL)

There is always one name that comes
along with the Winsted Wildcats, and it’s

one to be feared if he’s on the mound. Tony
Kley and the Wildcats once again make it
to the Region 7C Tournament, this time as
the No. 4 seed. It seems as if Kley, who’s
considered as one of the best pitchers in the
state, is on the mound, the Wildcats have a
chance.
Kley posted an ERA of 0.26 in 34 innings of pitching, which leads the league.
Although Kley is the main guy on the
mound for the Wildcats, Shane Khan is a
guy that can take the Wildcats to the next
level. Khan led the teams in wins this season, with six, and also led the Wildcats in
strikeouts, with 72. Khan has an ERA of
3.18, and is a big piece of the success behind the Wildcats season.
With the emergence of Khan, as well as
solid pitching from Jake Volness and Brady
Jenkins, Kley has been able to pitch as
needed and get some rest during the season. Kley threw just 34 innings this season,
compared to 71 last year, and still proved he
still has it with a 21-strikeout performance
agianst Mayer in the first round playoffs.
Although the pitching has been stellar
for the Wildcats this season, their offense
can sometimes fade away. The Wildcats
scored just five runs in their two games
against Mayer, and have only scored 10 or
more runs in a game four times this season,
but with Kley, the Wildcats may only need
one or two runs to win.
Newcomer for the Wildcats Matt Elsenpeter, is big a star in the lineup. He leads
the team with a .421 average and also leads
the team with three home runs this season.
He homered in his first career at-bat as a
Wildcat against Carver earlier this year.
With Tony Kley, who led the league in
walks this season, at the top of the lineup,
the Wildcats can still manufacture some
runs, but they will need to do a better job of
situational hitting in order to make a run in
the tournament.
The Wildcats are the No. 4 seed in the
tournament and open play against the No. 5
seed Young America. The Wildcats defeated the Cardinals 10-0 in their only meeting
this past season.
The Wildcats have a 4-3 record against
teams in the tournament.

#5 Young America (10-10
overall, 9-8 in CRVL)

Aaron Bigaouette has done it all for the
Irish this season. A solid glove in the
field, and a dangerous prescence at the
plate as he leads the team in batting average with a .455 average.
PHOTO BY KIP KOVAR

The Young America Cardinals have had
an up-and-down season thus far. With a
9-8 record, it’s a mystery as to what team
shows up. Is it the Cardinals who hit the
ball around all over in a 30-1 win over St.
Boni, or is it the Cardinals that struggle to
score runs? In their 10 losses this season,
they have scored three or fewer runs in nine
of them.
The Cardinals have the players to make
a run, though. Brice Panning is one of the
best young players in the league and posts a
.429 average. He also leads the team in RBI
with 16, and is tied for the lead in home
runs with three.
Aaron Cook is a nice player for the Cardinals at the top of the lineup. He’ll be
counted on for getting on base and setting
the tone for the Cardinals if they hope to
make a run. Cook is batting .327 and leads
the team in runs scored with 13.
Pitching will also be something to keep

an eye on for the Cardinals. Isaac Horman
leads the team in wins
with four, while Troy
Kohls is second with
three. Kohls has a
team-best ERA of 1.67
in 32 innings pitched,
while Hormann posts a
2.03 ERA.
The Cardinals are
the No. 5 seed in the
Region 7C Tournament
and open play against
the No. 4 seed Winsted.
The Cardinals lost 100 to Winsted in seven
innings in their only
meeting this season.
The Cardinals are 36 against teams in the
tournament this season.

#6 Carver (16-15
overall, 8-9 in
CRVL)

Winsted’s Matt Elsenpeter has been a force at the plate all
The Carver Black season long for the Wildcats. He comes into the tournaSox are another up- ment with a .421 batting average and leads the Wildcats in
and-down team that can homeruns with three.
PHOTO BY KIP KOVAR
be hard to predict. They
do have Mark Ulrich,
threw 53 innings this season and posted
a left-handed pitcher, who always seems a 2.38 ERA on his way to racking up two
to deliver when called upon. Ulrich was a wins. Justin Erkenbrack and Cole Petersen
workhorse for the Black Sox this season, are two other pitchers to keep an eye on,
as he threw 57 innings, and posted a 0.94 as well.
ERA, while striking out 60.
The Brewers enter the tournament as the
The Black Sox also rely on Andrew We- No. 7 seed and open play against the No. 2
ber and Jack Norton on the mound. The two seed Waconia Lakers. The Lakers defeated
have combined for 49 strikeouts and 54 in- the Brewers 11-3 in their only meeting this
nings pitched.
season.
David Dolan and Bryce Tuma are the big
The Brewers have a 1-9 record against
bats to watch for in the Black Sox lineup. teams in the tournament.
Dolan is batting .311 and h as four doubles
on the year. Tuma is tied for the team-high #8 Brownton (11-14 overall, 9-9
in RBI and also posts a .333 average to lead in CRVL)
the team. Weber also is tied for the team
The Brownton Bruins come into the Rebest with 10 RBI.
gion 7C on a bit of a hot streak after sweepThe Black Sox enter the tournament as ing No. 9 seed Watertown Red Devils in
the No. 6 seed and open play against the No. their playoff series.
3 seed Green Isle. In their only matchup of
The Bruins have one of the best pitchthe season, Green Isle squeaked a close 2-0 ers in the league in Dylan McCormick.
win over the Black Sox.
McCormick led the league in strikeouts
The Black Sox have a 2-7 record against with 85 this season and also posted a 2.39
teams in the tournament.
ERA on his way to picking up five wins for
#7 Glencoe (13-14 overall, 9-9 in the Bruins. Ryan Grams is another solid
arm for the Bruins. He has three wins on
CRVL)
the season, and posted a 2.70 ERA.
The Glencoe Brewers come into the ReOffensively, the Bruins are pretty balgion 7C tournament with a 9-9 record in anced. Grams is the leading hitter. He batthe CRVL. Just like the Black Sox and Car- ted .310 and led the team in RBI with 17,
dinals, the Brewers will be a wildcard team and home runs with three. Josh Dietz is a
to watch in this tournament as their season bat to watch as well this tournament. He
has been up and down all year.
hit two home runs this season and posted
Gannon Jordahl is the big bat in the a .241 average.
Brewers’ lineup to keep an eye on. He had
The Bruins come into play as the No. 8
two of the team’s four home runs this sea- seed and face the top-seeded Plato Bluejays
son, and was also the 2015 CRVL batting to kick off the region tournament. The Brutitle champion a season ago.
ins were swept by the Bluejays in their two
Other key offenseive players to keep an games earlier this season.
eye on in the Brewers’ lineup are Teddy
The Bruins post a record of 3-7 against
Petersen and Mason Goettl. Petersen posts teams in the tournament.
an average of .393 and had two doubles this
season. Goettl leads the team in RBI with
11, and has a home run.
For the Brewers and their pitching staff,
Jamie Paumen seems to be the ace. He