White, Whitnall show grit in showdown

Greenfield — Senior Nolan White did just about everything he could to keep the Whitnall baseball team's slim conference title hopes alive July 8.

He fired four shutout innings at home against league-leading New Berlin Eisenhower and displayed a lot of moxie when he belted a two-run home run that put his team ahead, 5-4, in the bottom of the fifth inning minutes after surrendering a grand slam to Alex McRae in the top half of the frame.

He even flashed his guts and hustle when chasing down the eventual game-winning home run by Eisenhower's Adam Vlaj in the top of the seventh inning off reliever Brock McGinn, a play that resulted in White injuring his left knee and needing assistance off the field.

But in the end, it was still not enough.

Whitnall loses despite strong effort

White and his teammates fell short, 6-5, in a game that clinched a share of the Woodland Conference Black Division title for the Lions, their first title since 1996. Eisenhower locked up first place outright with a victory over Wauwatosa West one day later.

Eisenhower entered this week 17-2 in conference play; Whitnall was four games back at 13-6 (16-12 overall) with three league games remaining.

"We battled all game and it was a great ball game, just very tough to come out on the other end," Whitnall coach Brian Johnsen said. "But I give credit to (the Lions). There is a reason why they are winning our conference and I would not be surprised if they head to Stevens Point (for the state tournament)."

White did his best to delay the inevitable.

He limited the Lions to three hits and one walk through four innings before getting into trouble in the fifth. He walked the leadoff hitter and allowed two softly hit but well-placed base hits before surrendering McRae's booming two-out grand slam.

But the senior did not let that big hit get him down. After teammate Ben Schaefer led off the next half of the inning with a single, White responded with a blast to center field that put his team back in the lead at 5-4.

"He's a competitor," Johnsen said. "Nothing bothers him, positive or negative. He moves on to the next pitch. We know he's capable of that. He's one of our key competitors."

White doesn't give up

White came back and pitched a scoreless sixth inning before being lifted for McGinn in the seventh. McGinn gave up a one-out double to Dan York before serving up Vlaj's two-run shot.

"Initially we were hoping Nolan was going to win it, but his pitch count reached 111 at the end of the sixth," Johnsen said. "We just didn't feel he could go any further. We initially were going to start Brock (Friday), but this game had such importance, we wanted to get this one today and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Unfortunately he left a curveball hanging. It was the first curveball he threw and he left it hanging and Vlaj is a good hitter."

On the play, White got his leg stuck in the turf while turning to chase Vlaj's shot to the fence. He fell to the ground and when he was helped off the field, his left ankle was bent awkwardly inward. The initial diagnosis by the Whitnall trainer was knee sprain.

The Falcons kept themselves in the title hunt with a doubleheader sweep of last-place Wauwatosa West, 11-1 and 10-4, on the road two days earlier.

In the opener, Dustin Devine had doubles and three runs scored and Ryan Regeth knocked in three runs.

Jake Mentkowski allowed only four hits to earn the win in the five-inning blowout.

Later that afternoon, Josh Serio struck out seven over five innings for the win. Geoff Wisialowski had three RBIs.

Whitnall tallied another league victory on Friday, a 7-6 road win over Greenfield. Aaron Hushek had three of the Falcons' 17 hits and knocked in three runs.

Whitnall was also overwhelmed by Franklin, 16-0 and 14-4, in a home nonconference doubleheader Saturday.

Sectional pairings

JULY 20: Regional finals: Waukesha South (8) at Muskego (1), 5:30 p.m.; Waukesha North (5) at Whitnall (4), 5 p.m.; Kettle Moraine (6) at Mukwonago (3), 5 p.m.; Catholic Memorial (7) at Waukesha West (2), 8 p.m.

JULY 23: Sectional semifinals: Muskego/South winner vs. North/Whitnall winner at Muskego, 11 a.m.; Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine winner vs. Memorial/West winner at Muskego, 2 p.m. Sectional final: Semifinal winners face at Muskego, 5 p.m.