City 11U squad advances to final day of regional
GALESBURG, Ill.—Janesville's 11U tournament baseball team has advanced to play in the final day of the Ohio Valley Regional tournament.
The local team won a pair of bracket-play games—beating host Galesburg 13-3 in four innings and Green Bay 15-12—to advance to the semifinals today.
Janesville will play top-seeded Germantown (Kentucky) in an 11 a.m. semi, with the winner advancing to the 4 p.m. title game.
Nate Bowditch helped carry Janesville to its first win Saturday. He allowed just two hits and three walks, striking out three in a complete-game victory. Bowditch also went 3-for-4 at the plate to earn player-of-the-game honors.
Janesville's offense rolled thanks in part to Joey Coulter, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles.
“We've been hitting the ball really well,” Janesville coach Aaron Schmitz said.
The offense let loose again in the quarterfinal game against Green Bay. Janesville was runner-up to Green Bay in the state tournament but jumped on top with three runs in the first inning and never trailed.
Jonah Aegerter went 4-for-4 with a home run and was named player of the game.
“He had some really nice plays at shortstop, too,” Schmitz said.
Aegerter and Dillon King hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning, the second time that duo has accomplished the feat during the regional tournament.
A decisive eight-run fifth inning helped Janesville hold on to play again today.
JANESVILLE 13, GALESBURG (Ill.) 3 (4)
Galesburg 110 1—3 2 2
Janesville 324 4—13 13 0
Nate Bowditch and Hayden Halverson.
Janesville leading hitters—Joey Coulter 3x4, Dillon King 2x3, Bowditch 3x4. 2B—Coulter 2, King, Angelo Rizzo.
SO—Bowditch 3. BB—Bowditch 3.
JANESVILLE 15, GREEN BAY 12
Janesville 302 181—15 15 1
Green Bay 111 351—12 13 4
Dillon King, Carson Bruhn (6) and Nate Bowditch.
Janesville leading hitters—Joey Coulter 2x4, Jonah Aegerter 4x4, King 2x3, Bowditch 2x3, Jack Nickols 2x4, Angelo Rizzo 2x4. HR—Aegerter, King.
SO—King 3. BB—King 3, Bruhn 1.