Bulldogs whip Blue Sox, 10-3

The Brookfield Bulldogs and Blue Sox had a busy weekend, playing two games in two days, including a head-to-head battle on Sunday.

The Bulldogs defeated the Blue Sox, 10-3, on Saturday at McCoy Field as former Brookfield Central star Mike Mierow tossed six scoreless innings for the win.

The next day the Bulldogs traveled to West Bend where they dropped a 10-5 decision to the 7-Up while the Blue Sox traveled to Merton and whipped the AMVETS, 13-1.

The 1-1 weekend left the Bulldogs with an 8-4 record and Blue Sox with a 6-5 record in the Land O' Lakes Western Division.

Defense shines on Saturday

"They outclassed defensively," Sox manager Jeff Lemmermann said. "They made four-five really nice plays that we couldn't do. Defensive lapses by us hurt us along the way."

The Bulldogs led 2-0 when they scored four runs in the fourth and put the game away. The Sox were hurt by four errors that led to five unearned runs. Lemmermann got the loss, working six innings, allowing 10 hits, two walks and a strikeout.

The Bulldogs outhit them, 15-6, as Ryan Hinz had two singles, a double and three RBIs and Ernest Castro and Mike Jacobs had two hits each. Mierow was brilliant, allowing two hits, a walk and four strikeouts while not giving up a run. Mierow helped himself at the plate with two hits, a run scored and two stolen bases.

Offenses come up big

The West Bend 7-Up scored four runs in the third and five in the fifth to coast to the win over the Bulldogs the next day.

Brookfield led 3-0 going into the bottom of the third, as an RBI single by Ernest Castro in the first and an RBI single by Hinz and then a nifty double steal scored Kris Franzen.

But West Bend (9-3) scored four runs in their half of the third, keyed by Matt Parrent's three-run home run to left center, his first of two homers on the day. Brookfield tied things in the top of the fifth after a leadoff home run by Jason Rutz, but then West Bend put the game away with three key singles in the bottom of the inning.

Rutz scored four times and singled and homer and Frantzen added two singles as Brookfield managed nine hits.

The pitching struggled as Greg Basthemer allowed 10 hits in five innings and seven earned runs. Hinz allowed one run in three innings of relief.

The Sox scored six runs in the second inning on their way to crushing Merton (6-5) on Sunday. Veteran Johnny Arnold was brilliant as he threw a complete-game six-hitter and fanned six while not allowing a walk.

The Sox banged out 17 hits, as Steve Bartlein had three, including a double, and Pat Tobiasz and Bill Posteluk each had two hits, including a homer and each drove in four runs.

Tim Kahle, David Casey, Vincent Sottile (a double) and Shaun Lena (two doubles) each had two hits.

The Bulldogs hosted Lannon on July 4 and now play in the All-Star Game on July 8 at Monches. The Sox traveled to North Lake on July 4.

BROOKFIELD ALL-STARS

July 8 at Monches

Bulldogs

Ryan Hinz, outfield (Starter)

Greg Basthemer, pitcher

Scott Booth, first base

Kris Franzen, outfield

Mike Mierow, catcher

Blue Sox

Jeff Lemmermann, utility

Hartland

Brad Leachy, pitcher (Brookfield Central grad)