2025 WIAA State Baseball Tournament preview & schedule

AppletonSportsPage.com

APPLETON – The 2025 WIAA State Baseball Tournament will be held Monday, June 16, through Thursday, June 19, at Fox Cities Stadium.

The 77th state tournament will kick off with Division 1 quarterfinals on June 16. Division 4 and 3 semifinals will be played June 17, Division 2 and 1 semifinals are scheduled for June 18, and all four championship games will be held on June 18 at the home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

Ticket prices for the tourney are $11 per session and $20 for an all-day ticket plus online fees, and $11 for each championship game Thursday. Tickets are to be purchased online on the WIAA website through GoFan, the WIAA ticketing partner, at: https://www.wiaawi.org/Tickets#42691546-baseball.

The pre-finals of the WIAA State Baseball Tournament will be streamed live on the WIAA.TV portal of the NFHS Network on a subscription basis. To purchase a subscription to the live programming, log-on to wiaa.tv or www.nfhsnetwork.com and click on the blue subscription graphic in the upper right side of the homepage.

The championship finals of all four divisions will be aired live on the WIAA State Television Stations WKOW 27.2, WAOW 9.2, WQOW 18.2 and WXOW 19.2, WVTV 24.1 in Milwaukee and WCWF 14.1 in Green Bay/Appleton. The finals will also be streamed live on the Network stations’ websites.

Tournament notes courtesy of the WIAA:

DIVISION 1: Top-seeded Hudson qualifies for the third time in program history and for the second season in a row. The Raiders’ previous appearances both resulted in quarterfinal defeats in 1974 and 2024. They are the champions of the Big Rivers Conference this season. The Raiders are also the victors of the Stevens Point Sectional, which culminated with a 10-0 blowout win over Eau Claire North in the final…Last year’s runner-up Sun Prairie East is the No. 2 seed in the bracket. The Cardinals qualify for the state tournament for the second time after Sun Prairie High School separated into two schools. Sun Prairie East retained the Cardinals nickname. Prior to the split, the Cardinals made 17 state appearances and were crowned champions nine times, which leads the membership. They won their first title in Class A in 1974 and added Division 1 championships in 1994, 1997, 2005, 2006, three in a row from 2012-14 and most recently in 2021. In addition, the perennial power finished runner-up twice, including 2017 and 2019. This season, they trounced Madison Memorial 14-4 in five innings to advance from the Baraboo Sectional final. The Cardinals won the title in the Big Eight Conference this spring…Third-seeded Hortonville is back at state for the second time in three years and for the 10th time in the program’s history. The Polar Bears were the Class B champions in 1987, and they won back-to-back Division 2 championships in 1997 and 1998. In addition, they advanced to the Class B championship game in 1980 and finished runner-up, and they were runners-up again in Division 1 in 2023. The Polar Bears advance to the State quarterfinals this year following a 3-1 victory over De Pere in the Bay Port Sectional final. They are runners-up in the Fox Valley Association this spring…Fourth-seeded Hamilton is making its second appearance in the spring version of the state baseball tournament. The Chargers fell in the quarterfinals in their initial experience in 2019. Prior to that experience, they made three appearances while affiliated with the summer baseball tournament. They won the summer baseball championship in 1981. This spring, the Chargers qualified by edging Germantown 2-1 in the Oconomowoc Sectional final. They are the champions of Greater Metro Conference this season…Fifth-seeded Oak Creek will be making its second-straight appearance in the state tournament. The Knights qualified in 2019 and fell in the quarterfinals, and they advanced to the semifinals last year. The Knights had a significant level of success while associated with the summer baseball season. They made eight appearances in the State Summer Baseball Tournament. The Knights’ won four state titles, which was the most of any school, and they were the only program to win three straight championships (2003-2005). They added another summer title in 2012. The Knights finished atop the Southeast Conference standings this year, and they advanced through the South Milwaukee Sectional with a 3-0 shutout over Union Grove in the final…Hartford, the sixth seed in the bracket, returns to the state tournament for the second time in three years and for the ninth time overall. The Orioles advanced to the semifinals in 2002 and again in 2011 and 2012, which accounts for their furthest advancement in the tournament. They are the champions in the North Shore Conference this season. They have qualified from the Oshkosh North Sectional with a 2-0 win over Beaver Dam in the final…Muskego is the No. 7 seed in the bracket. The Warriors make their first appearance in the baseball tournament held in the spring, but the Warriors made five trips to state while sponsoring summer baseball. They won the summer title in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2002. This season, they finished tied for third in the Classic Eight Conference. The Warriors defeated Waukesha North 7-2 in the sectional final hosted at Muskego to punch their ticket to state quarterfinals…Eighth-seeded Lake Geneva Badger will make the baseball program’s first-ever state tournament appearance. The Badgers began celebrating their accomplishment following an 8-2 decision over Monona Grove in the final of the Oregon Sectional. The Badgers are the co-champions of the Southern Lakes Conference with Waterford this year.

DIVISION 2: Top-seeded New Berlin Eisenhower makes its first appearance in the state tourney held in the spring. The Lions made it to state once when they sponsored baseball in the summer, which resulted in a loss in the1989 quarterfinals. They are the champions of the West Division of the Woodland Conference this spring. The Lions notched a 7-3 victory over Pewaukee in the Waterford Sectional to earn the berth in the State semifinals…La Crosse Aquinas moves up a division this season after winning the Division 3 title last season and finishing runner-up in 2023. The Blugolds have been issued the No. 2 seed in the bracket. They are making their ninth appearance at state overall and have advanced to the championship game seven times. They earned state titles in 2007, 2017 and again last year, and they finished runner-up in 2008, 2010, 2015 and also in 2023. This year, they tied Holmen for first place in the Mississippi Valley Conference. The Blugolds are the champions of the Merrill Sectional, which culminated with a 6-5 victory over Mosinee, last year’s runner-up, in the final. Prior to joining the WIAA, the Blugolds won four straight baseball titles in the former WISAA (1984-87)…Third-seeded Seymour is a first-time participant in the state tournament, which comes by virtue of a five-inning, 14-1 clubbing of Waupun in the final of the Waupaca Sectional final. The Thunder is the champion of the Bay Conference this season…Reedsburg is seeded fourth. The Beavers are embarking on their fifth state tournament appearance and their first since 2011. The most notable of their previous four experiences was a runner-up performance back in 1958. This season, they were the champions in the Small Division of the Badger Conference.

DIVISION 3: Last year’s runner-up Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic is the No. 1 seed in the bracket. The Lancers have qualified for the fourth time in five seasons and for the ninth time overall. They made four appearances during a span of five years from 2005-09, which resulted in a Division 2 championship in 2005 and a Division 3 title in 2006. They added additional Division 3 crowns in 2009 and 2021 to give them four state titles. The Lancers also won several championships as a former member of WISAA, winning titles in 1965, 1970, 1977 and 1988. This season, they finished atop the standings in the Metro Classic Conference. The Lancers advanced to State through the Kohler Sectional following a 4-0 blanking of Cedar Grove-Belgium in the final…Second-seeded Fennimore is a first-time qualifier to the WIAA State Baseball Tournament. The Golden Eagles needed an extra inning to defeat Westby 3-2 in the final of the Osseo-Fairchild Sectional to advance to the state semifinals. They were crowned champions of the Southwest Wisconsin Athletic Conference the spring…Third-seeded Kewaunee will also experience the state tournament for the first time after beating Wittenberg-Birnamwood 6-5 in the final of the Chilton Sectional. The Storm was the champion of the Packerland Conference this year…Fourth-seeded Barron is back at state for the seventh time and for the first time since 2008. The Golden Bears’ crowning achievement in their previous six experiences at state was advancing to the final and winning the championship in Class B in 1979. They placed third in the Heart O’ North Conference during the regular season, and they earned the sectional title to advance to the state tournament with a high-scoring 12-11 win over Elk Mound in the Augusta Sectional final.

DIVISION 4: Top-seeded Stevens Point Pacelli makes its second consecutive state appearance and its fourth overall. The Cardinals’ experience in 2003 was the most notable, winning the Division 3 championship in their first-ever trip to state. During the regular season, they were the co-champions in the South Division of the Central Wisconsin Conference standings with third-seeded Pittsville. The Cardinals earned the return trip to Grand Chute by downing Lena 8-1 in the sectional final hosted by Pacelli…Johnson Creek, the second seed in the bracket, is back in the final four for the second year in a row and for the sixth time overall. The Bluejays have advanced to the championship game twice, winning the Division 4 title in 2007 and finishing runner-up in 2012. This spring, they finished first in the South Division of the Trailways Conference. The Bluejays cruised to a 9-1 win over Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah in the sectional final played at Oakfield to continue their quest for a State title…Pittsville is seeded third. The Panthers make their first appearance at state since 2014 and their fourth overall. They seek their first victory in the tournament having been ousted from title contention in the semifinals in each of their previous three experiences. They rolled to a five-inning, 13-3 win over Highland in Blair-Taylor Sectional finals to return to the state semifinals. The Panthers are the co-champions of the South Division of the Central Wisconsin Conference with top-seeded Pacelli this season…Fourth-seeded Edgar advances to state for the second time after the Wildcats made their initial appearance in 2023, which resulted in a loss in the semifinals. This season’s return to the semifinals was earned with a decisive 14-1 victory over Northwood/Solon Springs in the Athens Sectional final. The Wildcats are the champions in the South Division of the Marawood Conference this year.

2025 WIAA State Baseball Tournament
Monday, June 16, through Thursday, June 19
At Fox Cities Stadium, Appleton
Monday, June 16
Division 1 Quarterfinals
No. 4 Sussex Hamilton (21-8) vs. No. 5 Oak Creek (23-5), 9 a.m.
No. 1 Hudson (19-6) vs. No. 8 Lake Geneva Badger (21-7), approximately 11:30 a.m.
No. 3 Hortonville (22-7) vs. No. 6 Hartford (21-7), 2:30 p.m.
No. 2 Sun Prairie East (21-7) vs. No. 7 Muskego (20-9), approximately 5 p.m.
Tuesday, June 17
Division 4 Semifinals
No. 2 Johnson Creek (22-6) vs. No. 3 Pittsville (22-7), 9 a.m.
No. 1 Stevens Point Pacelli (25-4) vs. No. 4 Edgar (18-7), approximately 11:30 a.m.
Division 3 Semifinals
No. 2 Fennimore (25-3) vs. No. 3 Kewaunee (17-5), 2:30 p.m.
No. 1 Kenosha St. Joseph Catholic (21-7) vs. No. 4 Barron (20-9), approximately 5 p.m.
Wednesday, June 18
Division 2 Semifinals
No. 2 La Crosse Aquinas (23-3) vs. No. 3 Seymour (25-3), 9 a.m.
No. 1 New Berlin Eisenhower (22-5) vs. No. 4 Reedsburg (21-6), approximately 11:30 a.m.
Division 1 Semifinals
Sussex Hamilton-Oak Creek winner vs. Hudson-Lake Geneva Badger winner, 2:30 p.m.
Hortonville-Hartford winner vs. Sun Prairie East-Muskego winner, approximately 5 p.m.
Thursday, June 19
Championship Games
Division 4, 9 a.m.
Division 3, noon
Division 2, 3 p.m.
Division 1, 6 p.m.