A’s Bow Out of NEWBL Playoffs
Posted: August 4, 2016
A 3-0 first inning lead turned into a 7-5 loss and an early exit from the Northeastern Wisconsin League playoffs. The ouster in the semi-finals ended a four year run that saw the A’s in the championship series. To add salt to the wound, it was the A’s fourth straight year losing to Menasha.
It was just not meant to be this year.
One would think that a three nothing lead would provide momentum. Eric Schmitz didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning. Two bloop hits later, the Macs had a little life but the A’s were still in control. Then on one play of miscues by the A’s, the Macs tied the game at three.
The A’s brought some life back to the crowd when Trevor Cho’s clutch hit gave the A’s a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth. After a scoreless seventh inning, the A’s were just six outs away from advancing to their fourth straight NEWBL championship series.
But Menasha battered A’s relief pitching in the eighth inning, loading the bases with no outs and eventually plating four runs to take a 7-4 lead. The A’s attempted one last rally in the final frame, scoring one run and having the tying run on base, but former Sheboygan A’s pitcher and ex-MLB pitcher Jack Taschner came on to close the book on the game and the A’s NEWBL playoff run.
Menasha will advance to face Green Bay in the best-of-three series. Menasha is the three-time defending league champion. The last team other than Menasha to win, is none other than Green Bay.
The A’s are now idle until Friday, August 12 when they play at West Allis in the opener of the Wisconsin State League Invitational Tournament. Play resumes in Sheboygan Saturday afternoon and Sunday evening. The tournament schedule is as follows:
Thursday August 11
Kenosha Kings @ West Allis Nationals (7:30 PM)
Friday August 12
Sheboygan A’s @ West Allis Nationals (7:30 PM)
Chicago Rippers @ Kenosha Kings (7:30 PM)
Saturday August 13
Chicago Rippers vs. West Allis Nationals (4 PM – Sheboygan)
Chicago Rippers vs. Sheboygan A’s (6 PM – Sheboygan)
Kenosha Kings vs. Sheboygan A’s (8 PM – Sheboygan)
Sunday August 14
Championship (6 PM – Sheboygan)
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
