GRAND CHUTE, WI – Behind strong pitching and timely hitting, Seymour punched its ticket to the WIAA Division 2 State Baseball Championship game with a 5-2 semifinal win over Aquinas on Wednesday at Fox Cities Stadium.
Colten Nieland and Xavier Salzman combined for a three-hitter on the mound, and the Thunder’s offense delivered 11 hits to take down a tough Blugolds squad that entered the game with just three losses on the season.
Nieland, who also went 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, earned the save with two solid innings in relief. Salzman picked up the win, throwing five innings of one-hit ball while allowing two runs and striking out five.
Seymour broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Carson Staffeldt and added two more insurance runs in the sixth. Salzman also contributed at the plate, driving in two runs as part of a 1-for-2 effort.
Cayden Staffeldt added two hits and a run scored, while Brandon Poch and Brady Poch each chipped in with an RBI.
Aquinas struck early with two runs in the second inning, including an RBI sacrifice fly from Ryan Johnson. But the Blugolds were stymied the rest of the way, managing just three hits and five baserunners after the second.
Isaac Schelfhout was a bright spot for Aquinas, collecting two of the team’s three hits — both doubles.
Waylon Hargrove took the loss for Aquinas, allowing five runs (four earned) on 11 hits over 5.2 innings. He also scored one of the Blugolds’ two runs.
Seymour is looking for their first ever state championship in baseball.
D2 State Championship
#3 Seymour vs #1 New Berlin Eisenhower – 3pm
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