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By DENNIS SEMRAU

Wissports.net

 

JANESVILLE – Oconomowoc coach Pat Neary has coached baseball long enough to know that if you give an opponent an opening it can be a long day.

 

Raccoons starter Nash Bell allowed two hits in the top of the first inning, including an RBI-double.

 

But the senior right-hander allowed just one run the rest of the way as Oconomowoc rolled past Milton 8-2 in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal baseball game at Veteran s Field in Riverside Park,

 

"It s the first game (at sectionals) when you re playing somebody you should beat because you re a higher seed and I don t think I ve had an easy first game," said Neary, who is in his 27^th season as head coach. "If you get through that first one and get a little momentum, things seem to be OK."

 

After a rocky start, it was smooth sailing for the Raccoons, who are trying to advance to state for the first time since 2000.

 

Aaron Benz went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs and Bell scattered seven hits over six innings as the Raccoons advanced to the championship game to face Fort Atkinson, a 9-7 winner over Oregon in the other semifinal.

 

"We got some runs early, that team was tough," Nash said. "They could put the ball in play and got some guys on early but I was able to work out of some jams,"

 

Milton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Josh Meyers drew a one-out walk and scored on Dane Burman's booming double to left field.

 

But Burman was thrown out when he strayed too far off second base. That might have cost the Red Hawks a run when Sam McCann followed with a single to left.

 

Oconomowoc promptly tied it up at 1-1 in its half of the first on Casey Herr's lead-off walk and back-to-back singles from Will Schlosser and Benz.



The Raccoons defense answered the call in the top of the third when Milton opened the inning with a Josh Meyers single and Burman doubled to center field.

 

One out later, Matt Rogers grounded to shortstop and Herr cut down Meyers at the plate to stymie the rally.

 

"That was a key play. Our defense was huge," Nash said. "When Casey made that play at the plate, that got the momentum started for us,"



Oconomowoc took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning.

 

Tanner Wensman drew a two-out walk, Chris Pierson followed with a single to right and Dan Winkelman doubled over the right-fielder's head to score Wensman. Pierson then scored on Bell's single to short.

 

The Raccoons broke the game open in the fourth inning when Benz ripped a double to right-center field to score Matt Persick and Schlosser, who both walked, to extend their lead to 5-1.

 

"Some days they fall in for you, some days they don t," Milton coach Steve Heilman said. "We had a couple of opportunities to score early and we didn t do it, They re a good team."

 

Milton made it 5-2 in the fifth when Nick Meyers led off with a walk and later scored on Sam McCann s single to right field.

 

But Oconomowoc iced the game with a three-run burst in the bottom of the fifth inning. Casey Herr drove in the first run with an infield grounder while Schlosser added an RBI-double and Benz capped the scoring with an RBI-single.

 

Bell went six innings, allowing two runs, both earned, on seven hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Zach Wilson closed out the victory for the Raccoons, retiring Milton in order in the seventh inning.

 

"Fort Atkinson will be tough. When you get to this point, anything can happen," Neary said. "We have some pitching left so I hope it carries over."