Lancers whip Bulldogs in finale

Brookfield Central went 4-3 in its last seven games but still finished in the bottom three of the Greater Metro Conference and will take part in this week's consolation tournament.

The Lancers, who beat Wauwatosa East on June 25 and lost to Brookfield East the next day, lost to Muskego on June 28, won a non-conference game at Mukwonago on Friday, lost a GMC tilt at West Allis Hale on Saturday and then on Monday won, 11-2, at West Allis Central.

The Lancers are 6-14 in league play and 9-17 overall, following their win against West Allis Central (4-16) on Monday in a battle to avoid the GMC basement.

Right-hander Matt Haralson was brilliant against the Bulldogs as he tossed a six-hitter and struck out 15 West Allis Central hitters in a complete game win. Sophomore Elijah Goodman finished the conference season strong with three hits and junior Eric Ranchau broke through with a three-hit game of his own to lead the 16-hit attack. Central closed the week with a 12-2 loss to the Huskies at Tex Belich Field. The game was over quickly as Hale scored seven runs in the first inning. The Lancers had only four hits, while the Huskies (9-10) banged out 16 and coasted to the win.

Big seventh inning

The Lancers scored five runs in the seventh inning Friday and then held on to beat the Indians at Mukwonago, 12-9, in a non-conference game.

Central scored four runs in the first inning, sparked by sophomore Jake Harley's homer over the right-field wall. But the Indians scored six runs in the bottom of the second before sophomore Matt Ausloos shut the door with four strong innings, yielding only one run and striking out three.

Central scored twice in the third and once in the fourth to take a 7-6 lead, but Mukwonago tied it in the bottom of the inning. The Lancers then broke open the contest in the top of the seventh with a five-run barrage and a 12-7 lead.

Freshman Jonathon Keane allowed two runs in the seventh, but closed out the win. Ausloos had two hits and two RBIs, Harley had two RBIs and Doug Manikowski and Andrew Schneider each had two hits for the Lancers, who banged out 13 hits off three Mukwonago pitchers.

Tough loss

Senior righthander Matt Haralson deserved a better fate in a 4-0 loss at Muskego on June 28. The lanky hurler gave the Lancers a chance to win, but one bad inning and a lack of run support did in Haralson.

The Warriors scored all four runs in the third inning, while the only offense the Lancers could muster was one hit (Brett Puffer's single) off Muskego's Josh Breider. Haralson scattered eight hits in six innings, walking two and fanning two.

WIAA tournament

Central is the 11th seed in the WIAA Waukesha West Sectional. The Lancers play at sixth-seeded Mukwonago at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The winner of that game plays third-seeded Pius XI or 14th-seeded Waukesha South on July 13.