By Spencer Flaten
Staff Writer

Marquette University High School used a monstrous sixth inning rally to secure a comeback 8-3 win against rivals Oak Creek in the WIAA summer baseball state semifinals on Friday.

The Hilltoppers trailed heading into the bottom of the sixth, but exploded for six runs in the frame to put the game away and earn a berth in the state championship game.

Oak Creek got on the board first with a three run third inning. Joey Richter scored the game’s first run when Marquette pitcher Jack Dwyer balked while he was on third. D.J. Ellifson followed with a fly ball to right field which was dropped. Ellfison ended up at third base with an RBI triple and a 2-0 Knights lead. Alex Binelas completed the scoring with an RBI single to push the lead to 3-0.

Marquette began their rally in the bottom of the third. Peter Ahn hit an RBI double to left field to score Jeromy Schultz and narrow the deficit to 3-1.

The Hilltoppers added another run in the fourth. After drawing a leadoff walk, Connor Kimple eventually came around to score on a wild pitch.

Both teams went scoreless in the fifth to set up the crucial sixth inning.

The Knights got runners on second and third in the top of the inning after a couple of walks and a wild pitch. With a chance to add insurance runs, Gannon Goldensoph lined out to first base to end the threat.

Everything fell apart for Oak Creek in the bottom of the frame. Joe Acker and Kimple reached base to start the inning, and Dwyer hit an RBI single to tie the game. Another run scored on the play after the Knights overthrew home plate, and the Hilltoppers had the lead in a blink of an eye.

That wasn’t the end of it, though. Jim Jarecki hit an RBI single to score Dwyer and Jack Shemanski put a double into the gap in right center to score two more runs. Acker drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning to make the score 8-3. Kimple hit what looked like it would be a sac fly, but the umpires ruled the runner on third left early and Oak Creek doubled him off to finally end the inning.

The Knights went quietly in the seventh, and the Hilltoppers advanced to the state championship game.

Dwyer picked up the win on the mound. He worked six strong innings and surrendered two earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out six. Ellifson pitched four innings for Oak Creek and ended with a no-decision. He allowed two runs and struck out five. Matt Hamilton took the loss, allowing five runs in 1.1 innings.

Shemanski finished 1-for-2 with two RBIs for Marquette. Binelas was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk for Oak Creek.

Marquette will face either Menomonee Falls or New Holstein in the state championship at 6:05 tonight.

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