West Bend, WI – The West Bend Spirits proved that teams with championship aspirations need to find ways to win, rallying for a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Stone Bank Generals on Sunday afternoon at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field.
In a contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final out, the Spirits improved to 2-0 on the young season while handing the Generals their first loss.
Early Pitching Duel Gives Way to Offense
Both teams settled into a pitcher’s duel through the first three innings before West Bend broke through in the fourth. The Spirits manufactured two runs through smart situational hitting, with Colyn Lessila and Adam Lucas each delivering sacrifice flies for a 2-0 advantage.
Stone Bank showed early-season resilience by answering immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Peyton Schumann sparked the rally with a clutch two-out single, and a throwing error helped tie the game at 2-2. Ian Rintelman followed with a booming double that scored Schumann and gave the Generals a 3-2 lead heading into the fifth.
“Those are the mistakes that can happen early in the season,” said Spirits manager Willie Mueller. “We have to clean these things up, so Gavin doesn’t have to throw a dozen more high-stress pitches to get out of the inning.”
Gavin Hinckley opened the game for West Bend, surrendering six hits and three unearned runs over four innings while striking out two and walking three.
Lucas Delivers in Clutch Moments
The Spirits knotted the game at 3-3 in the fifth when Lucas stepped up again, driving in another run with his second sacrifice fly of the afternoon. The former Kansas City Royal has quickly become a reliable newcomer for West Bend, consistently delivering in pressure situations.
“Adam has filled so many voids for us so far this season,” Mueller said. “While he throws 90-plus mph on the mound, he can play any position, but the biggest void he fills is he knows how to play the game. His leadership in and out of the dugout with the loss of Matty (Parrent) has been huge.”
After three tense innings of scoreless baseball, West Bend seized control in the eighth. A passed ball allowed Lukas Broske to cross the plate, and Lessila capped the rally with another sacrifice fly – his second RBI of the game – to put the Spirits ahead 5-3.
Dramatic Finish
Stone Bank made one final push in the bottom of the eighth, managing to score a run and bring the tying run to the plate. But the Spirits turned to Adam Lucas on the mound, who struck out TJ Steidl to end the threat. Lucas worked a clean ninth inning for his second save of the season and the 5-4 victory.
“It’s always great to win while still knocking the rust off,” said Hinckley after the game. “We’re all still figuring out who is who, getting used to using wood bats again, and just getting those competitive juices flowing again.”
Statistical Standouts
Spirits outfielder Ben Hurt Haller paced the offense with two hits in three at-bats. For Stone Bank, Peyton Schumann and TJ Steidl each collected two hits, while Lucas Oswald showed impressive plate discipline by drawing five walks.
Johnny Nieskes (2-0) earned the win in relief for West Bend. The left-hander surrendered one hit and one unearned run over three and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and walking three.
Looking Ahead
The victory sets up an important stretch for West Bend as they head into their first double weekend of the season. The Spirits will host division rival Brookfield Blue Sox (0-1) Friday at 7 p.m. at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field, before welcoming the Rome Raiders (3-0) – the team they eliminated in the 2024 playoffs – on Sunday at noon.
“The room for error definitely gets smaller with Brookfield and Rome coming to town,” said Hinckley. “This team has the potential to do the things expected out of West Bend teams, but we need to clean up the small stuff and make sure our effort and competitiveness stays consistent.”
With strong pitching depth and clutch hitting already on display, the Spirits appear ready to build on their early-season success as they face tougher competition ahead.
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WP: Johnny Nieskes (2-0) LP: Adam Meier (0-1) SV: Adam Lucas (SV 2)
