Carter Birdyshaw scored on a steal of home in the first inning to give the Weyauwega-Fremont Warhawks an early lead, but the Iola-Scandinavia Thunderbirds answered with single runs in the third and fourth before the Warhawks tied the game on a two-out double in the sixth for a 2-2 deadlock at Taylor Field in Iola.
The Warhawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Birdyshaw crossed the plate on the steal of home. Noah Pantzlaff was caught stealing second to end the inning, with pitcher Wyatt Wolberg throwing to first baseman Jose Gutierrez and then to second baseman Chase Timdal.
The Thunderbirds tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the third. Ben Gruba singled on a line drive. Left fielder Burntreger threw to catcher Wyatt Wetzel to retire Mason Kriesel advancing to home, but RJ Opperman scored on the play. Broghan Gullixon advanced to third and Gruba to second on the throw.
Iola-Scandinavia took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth when Mason Morfey scored on a wild pitch. Carson Desrochers grounded out on a throw from shortstop Baehnman to first baseman Noah Pantzlaff to end the inning.
The Warhawks evened the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth. J Weed was caught stealing third by catcher Broghan Gullixon, throwing to third baseman Mason Kriesel. Hansen stole second before Leschke doubled on a line drive to center fielder Mason Morfey, scoring Hansen.
Wyatt Wolberg pitched the first two innings for the Thunderbirds and allowed one run. He committed one error, walked two, and struck out two. Mason Morfey followed with three innings, allowing three hits, walking three, and striking out six.
D. Burntreger pitched two innings for the Warhawks, allowing one hit and one run. He made one error and struck out one. Carter Birdyshaw threw three innings, allowing three hits and one run. He made one error, walked one, and struck out two batters.
The game featured crisp defensive plays and opportunistic base running on both sides. The Warhawks manufactured their first run without a hit, relying on speed at home plate. The Thunderbirds tied and briefly led through a combination of a key single, aggressive baserunning, and a wild pitch. The tying run came on extra-base contact after a stolen base, underscoring the tight, low-scoring nature of the contest.
Neither team could push across the go-ahead run in the innings detailed in the statistics, leaving the teams even at two runs apiece after six. The pitching staffs combined for 10 strikeouts while limiting extra-base hits until the final scoring play. The Warhawks and Thunderbirds traded momentum throughout, with standout defensive efforts, including a throwout at home and a catch of a runner stealing at third, preventing further damage.
