The Stevens Point 15-year-old Babe Ruth team won its first two games at the state tournament and played Thursday in the semifinal round of the double-elimination tourney.
The 15s cruised in their first two games, a 9-1 win over Cross Plains Tuesday and a 14-3 rout of Heart of the North from Spooner Wednesday.
Randy Printz had six RBI in Wednesday's win, which was shortened to five innings by the 10-run rule. Printz had a two-run inside-the-park homer in the first inning, a bases loaded triple in the fourth and a RBI groundout in the third.
Point led 3-1 through three innings and then scored seven runs in the fourth inning to break the game open. The 15s added four more runs in the fifth to end the game.
Jeff Herzog was the winning pitcher, allowing four hits while striking out five in five innings. Nate Domaszek added two hits, including a double.
In the 9-1 win over Cross Plains, Justin Pezewski scattered three hits and struck out eight in six innings. Brandon Eckendorf pitched a scoreless seventh.
Domaszek had three hits to lead Point. Eric Schipferling, Pezewski and Josh Richter each had two hits.
Point played Sturgeon Bay at 2 p.m. Thursday and the winner advances to the championship. The tournament winner advances to the Ohio Valley Regional in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
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The 15s qualified for the state tournament after winning the District 5 tournament at Bukolt Park last weekend.
The 15s won all three games in the District 5 tourney by double-digit margins, including a 13-3 victory over Rhinelander in the championship game. Randy Printz and Justin Pezewski each had two hits. Pezewski pitched four innings to get the win while Eric Schipferling and Brandon Eckendorf pitched in relief.
Point banged out 20 hits to win its opener, 22-11 over Rhinelander. Printz had four hits, including a double and a triple, to lead the assault. Pezewski had three hits. Chipping in with two each were Nate Domaszek, Jeff Herzog and Jeremy Fritsch. Ryan Blomlie added a double as 12 different players had hits for Point. Herzog picked up the win on the mound.
In their next game, the 15s beat Wisconsin Rapids 16-2, in a game shorted to five innings by the 10-run rule. Pezewski had three hits, including a triple, to lead Point offensively. Printz added a double. Stevens Point took advantage of 12 walks issued by Rapids' pitching. Eckendorf went the distance to get the win, throwing a five-hitter. He walked one and struck out two.