Team Wisconsin Shines at 6th Annual Midwest Classic Baseball Tournament
“Team Wisconsin” shines at the 6th annual Midwest Classic Baseball TournamentTeam Wisconsin participated in the 2006 Midwest Classic Baseball Tournament August 4th thru 6th in Barrington Illinois and finished with an impressive 3-1-1 record. “Team Wisconsin” is a team consisting of 16 elite high school baseball players who just completed their Junior baseball season. Team Wisconsin was chosen from the top prospects from the Wisconsin High School Baseball Combine held in Kenosha WI on June 19th and 20th. Since this is a true All-Star event, only players who attended a tryout were eligible to participate per WIAA guidelines.
Game One: Wisconsin defeats Minnesota 3-1
David Casey (Whitefish Bay) provided all the offense needed in this game with
a 2 run blast that traveled an estimated 430 feet to right center. Wisconsin’s
dominating pitching staff (Cody Griebling-Germantown, Nicholas Jensen- Appleton
East, Nicholas Rice- Kenosha Tremper, Cullen Sexton- Stevens Point) held Minnesota
to only one run on four hits while fanning eight. Andy Beyerl (Wausau West)
was also 2 for 2 with a double.
Game Two: Wisconsin settles for tie with Kentucky 4-4
Solid pitching by Kentucky held Wisconsin to 4 runs on only four hits. Jon Gulbransen
(Fox Valley Lutheran) drove in two runs with a double. Wisconsin pitchers gave
up six hits, but the damage was done with the 8 walks that were issued. The
tying run for Wisconsin was provided by speedster Kevin Rotherham (Green Bay
Notre Dame) when he tagged up from third on a sacrifice fly to right field by
Eric Goetz (Milwaukee Hamilton)
Game Three: Wisconsin Powers past Iowa 11-4
Wisconsin shelled out 12 hits and again dominated on the mound in a big win
over Iowa. David Casey (Whitefish Bay) Eric Goetz (Milwaukee Hamilton) Kyle
Nelson (Madison Memorial) and Cullen Sexton (Stevens Point) gave up only four
hits while striking out nine. Goetz’s fastball was clocked as high as
90 mph as he struck out two. Leading the offense was David Casey (Whitefish
Bay) and Jon Gulbransen (Fox Valley Lutheran) each going 2 for 3 with a double.
Kevin Rotherham (Green Bay Notre Dame) also added two hits for Wisconsin.
Game Four: Wisconsin sneaks past Nebraska 2-1
Once again it was Jon Gulbransen (Fox Valley Lutheran) and Kevin Rotherham (Green
Bay Notre Dame) leading the Wisconsin team with two hits apiece, a single and
a double. The hero was Jon Gulbranson in the bottom of the seventh inning lifting
a sacrifice fly into right field to score the blazing fast Kevin Rotherham tagging
up to score the winning run. Outstanding pitching held Nebraska to just one
run on four hits. Jon Gulbransen (Fox Valley Lutheran) Nicholas Jensen (Appleton
East) Kyle Nelson (Madison Memorial) and Stephen Williams (Wrightstown) demonstrated
superior command on the mound striking out eight.
Game Five: Illinois steals one from Wisconsin 6-4
The only loss for Wisconsin came at the hands of Illinois in the Championship
Game. It was the five errors that cost Wisconsin the game. The superior pitching
staff for Wisconsin: Eric Goetz (Milwaukee Hamilton) Cody Griebling (Germantown)
Jon Gulbransen (Fox Valley Lutheran) held Illinois to only five hits while striking
out seven.
Wisconsin out-hit Illinois by banging out eight hits. David Casey (Whitefish
Bay) blasted his second home run of the tournament, and Doug DeKoning (Menomonee
Falls) went two for three.
Overall the Wisconsin pitching staff dominated the tournament, striking out
40 in 35 innings of work. Defensive play was outstanding over the first four
games, but hit a bump in the road against Illinois. Over 65 scouts from Professional
teams and Division 1 Baseball programs were in attendance watching some of the
best talent in the entire Midwest. There is no doubt many of them are from Wisconsin