Menasha Macs advance to championship series

SHEBOYGAN – The Menasha Macs rallied from an early deficit to beat the Sheboygan A’s 7-5 on Wednesday to advance to the Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League championship series.

The Macs will take on the Green Bay Storm in the best-of-3 finals. The Storm advanced with a 1-0 victory over the Appleton Legends in 11 innings in the other semifinal game.

Game 1 is Friday in Green Bay at 7:30 p.m., with Game 2 in Menasha on Saturday. If Game 3 is necessary, it will be played Sunday in Green Bay.

The Macs trailed 3-0 after one inning, but tied the game with three runs in the top of the fifth.

Menasha was hitless until Ty Meyers singled to start the rally in the fifth. Sam Hawley and Nick Janssen followed with singles to load the bases, then Adam Grambow singled home two runs. Janssen raced for third on Grambow’s hit and when the throw to get him at third went into left field, Janssen scored to make it 3-3.

After the A’s regained the lead with a run in the sixth inning, the Macs broke open the game with a four-run eighth.

Alex Duros and Ryan Hinske both singled, then Ethan Bemowski reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Mike Berben put the Macs on top with a two-run single, then Jack Taschner followed with a two-run double to make it 7-4.

The A’s got a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Taschner stopped the uprising to get the save.

WP: Eric Zuberbier (7 IP, 2 ER). LP: A.J. Alessi. Leading hitters: Adam Grambow M 2 RBI; Mike Berben M 2 RBI; Jack Taschner M 2×4, 2B, 2 RBI; Tyler Agard S 3×4; Mitchell Sutton S 2B.