Justin Pezewski threw a complete game three-hitter in the championship game as Stevens Point edged Janesville 2-1 to win the 15-year-old Babe Ruth State Tournament, in Appleton last Friday.
The 15-year-old state title was Stevens Point's first in 10 seasons. A year ago, playing at the 14-year-old level, the same Stevens Point team finished second to Appleton at the state tournament.
"We had big expectations coming in. We really wanted to win state and we planned on going down there and winning it," Jeff Herzog said.
"Coming up second at state made us play harder and want it more. And our dreams came true," catcher Randy Printz said.
Point took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning as Printz reached on a one-out single. Pezewski followed with a walk and Adam Sandstrom knocked in Printz with a single.
Stevens Point scored what proved to be the game-winner in the fifth inning on Randy Printz's bases-loaded walk. Josh Richter had a one-out single, Nate Domaszek reached on an error and Eric Schipferling singled to load the bases. Following an out, Printz drew a walk to force in Richter.
Janesville scored its lone run in the sixth inning. A one-out single and consecutive walks loaded the bases. The run scored on a fielders choice and Pezewski got the next hitter to fly out to centerfield, ending the threat.
Pezewski struck out two, walked three and hit a batter. "Everybody else was pretty nervous, but I was pretty calm. I was having fun," Pezewski said.
Domaszek and Sandstrom each had two hits to lead Stevens Point offensively in the title game.
Back to back home runs by Herzog and Printz propelled Stevens Point to a 17-3 win over Sturgeon Bay in a game between the last two teams without a loss.
Domaszek led off the third inning with a single and after an out, Herzog broke a scoreless tie with a two-run inside-the-park homer. Printz followed with a blast over the centerfield fence. Point added two more runs in the frame to take a 5-0 lead.
Sturgeon Bay closed the gap to 6-3 after five innings, but Stevens Point put the game out of reach, scoring six times in the sixth inning and added five more in the seventh.
Pezewski led Point's 16-hit attack with three hits, including a double. Adding two hits were Schipferling, Ryan Blomlie, Printz and Sandstrom. Jeremy Fritsch chipped in with a double as 10 players had hits for Point off five different Sturgeon Bay pitchers.
Schipferling went six innings to get the win for Point. He scattered eight hits, struck out two and walked none. Brandon Eckendorf finished up with a scoreless seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one.
The last 15-year-old Stevens Point team to win a state title was in 1990. Team members included Kevin Mlodik, Kevin Schmidtke, Shorty Flees, Bobby Opiola, Brian Ryskoski and Todd Tuskowski.