May 30, 2026 – West Bend, Wi — Camden Hoier was a problem all night long, and Merton Amvets simply had no answer. The West Bend Spirits first baseman went 3-for-3 with four RBI, leading a 10 hit, six walk offensive onslaught as West Bend rolled to an 11-1 victory Friday at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field.
The Spirits led from the first inning on and never let Merton breathe, capping the rout with a five-run sixth that put the game well out of reach.
Hoier singled, doubled and singled again across his three plate appearances, delivering the kind of performance Spirits manager Willie Mueller expected after Hoier’s standout college season at MSOE. Caleb Horvath and Evan Becker each added doubles, giving West Bend’s lineup an extra base threat up and down the order.
Merton drew first blood when Carter Scott scored on a Tyler LaMack single in the top of the first to make it 1-0, a lead that lasted exactly half an inning. West Bend answered immediately.
With runners on, Hoier singled through the left side and Gabe Lee followed with a pop fly that kept carrying for an RBI single, pushing three runs across and flipping the score to 3-1. A pair of wild pitches and a Merton error helped open the floodgates, and the Spirits never looked back.
“It’s pretty difficult going from watching another game finish to being sharp and ready to go 15 minutes later,” said Mueller.
“I like the way we settled down, minimized the damage, and then hit the gas ourselves.”
Starting pitcher Caleb Wilson gave West Bend a strong foundation, working 3⅓ innings and striking out nine while allowing just one run on two hits. Jackson Naber took over in the fourth and was virtually unhittable the rest of the way, 3⅔ scoreless innings, no hits, seven strikeouts. Combined, the West Bend staff fanned 16 Amvet batters while surrendering just two hits and one earned run across seven frames.
“Without Easton Oliver or Gavin Hinckley tonight, we didn’t know how much we’d get out of Caleb Wilson and Jackson Naber,” Mueller said.
“They battled and made their pitches. Funny game, when you throw strikes, you tend to get more guys out.”
The sixth inning removed any remaining doubt. West Bend sent 10 batters to the plate and plated five runs on two hits and three walks, chasing Merton’s Jacob Johnson from the mound. Colyn Lessila worked a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-1, then pinch hitter Hunter Herbst drilled a hard grounder through the right side to score two more.
Brandon Niedfeldt capped the inning, and the scoring, with a two run single, pushing the final to 11-1. Johnson finished having allowed eight runs on seven hits in 4⅓ innings.
Starter Brady LaMack was charged with the loss after lasting just one inning.
Lessila and Becker each drew multiple walks, pacing a patient West Bend approach that seemed to have a plan for every at bat. Merton’s Bob Tilot drew two walks but the Amvets managed just two hits all night, killing any chance of a rally. A spectacular double play in the sixth was their lone defensive highlight in an otherwise lopsided affair.
West Bend improves to 2-1 in Land O’ Lakes play open the season and turns its attention to an important road trip Sunday against the Menomonee Falls Lakers. If Friday is any indication, this group is coming together fast.
“Every game with Menomonee Falls in recent years has been a dogfight,” Mueller said.
“I’d expect nothing less this go around from Nick Erd, Adam Bigus and those boys.”