Manitowoc holds off Appleton East to win WIAA Division 1 baseball regional final

AppletonSportsPage.com

MANITOWOC – Brayden Steinbecker’s two-run triple in the fourth inning proved to be the different as Manitowoc Lincoln downed Appleton East 3-1 in a WIAA Division 1 baseball regional final Thursday at the Manitowoc Municipal Baseball Field.

The No. 4 seed Manitowoc (19-6) will play No. 1 seed Hartford in the first of two sectional semifinals Tuesday at E.J. Schneider Field in Oshkosh at 10 a.m. No. 2 Slinger will take on No. 3 Beaver Dam in the second game, with the winner’s playing for a berth in the WIAA State Baseball Tournament in Appleton at approximately 4 p.m.

Daniel Dieck had a two-out RBI single in the top of the first inning to plate Alex Thompson to give the Patriots a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Manitowoc tied the game in the second on a wild pitch with the bases loaded, and pulled ahead in the fourth with Steinbecker’s two-run triple.

That would be it as Bennett Johnson threw the final 5 2/3 innings without allowing a run.

Cade Prestigiacomo took the loss for Appleton East, striking out seven with five walks over four innings. Dieck had two of the Patriots’ four hits.

Appleton East finishes its season with a 17-9 record.

Ships 3, Patriots 1
Appleton East   100   000   0   –   1   4   2
Manitowoc   010   200   x   –   3   3   2
WP: Bennett Johnson. LP: Cade Prestigiacomo.
SO: Prestigiacomo (4 inn.) 7, Matthew Bixler (1 inn.) 0, Ethan Winkler (1 inn.) 1; Brayden Steinbecker (1 1/3 inn.) 3, Johnson (5 2/3 inn.) 1. BB: Prestigiacomo 5, Bixler 0, E. Winkler 0; Steinbecker 1, Johnson 1.
Top hitters: AE, Daniel Dieck 2×3, 2B, RBI. M, Steinbecker 2×4, 3B, 2 RBI.
Records: Appleton East 17-9; Manitowoc 19-6.