Spirits rally in middle innings to top Hartford, 7-5 | By Craig Larsen

June 29, 2025 – West Bend, Wi – The West Bend Spirits overcame an early deficit and pulled away with a five-run outburst through the middle innings to defeat the visiting Hartford Hawks 7-5 on Saturday morning at Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field.

After falling behind 1-0 in the opening frame on Michael Seegers’ leadoff solo home run to left field, the Spirits quickly answered back in the bottom half of the inning. Ben Hurt Haller led off with a single, and after a fielder’s choice and a Noah Dreier single, Camden Hoier was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Colyn Lessila then delivered a clutch two-run single to give West Bend a 2-1 advantage.

The Spirits seized control in the third with a four-run explosion. Camden Hoier singled and Lessila doubled to set the table before Alex Pluta’s RBI single made it 3-1. Blake Church then stepped up and ripped a two-run double to left field, extending the lead to 5-1.

“We’ve been working really hard on our hitting and hitting approaches all season, and it really started to show off today,” said Spirits manager Willie Mueller. “When we got runners in scoring position, we kept the pressure on, and our guys came through with some clutch hits.”

West Bend added another run in the fourth when Camden Hoier doubled home Drake Grod, pushing the lead to 6-1. But Hartford wasn’t finished. The Hawks mounted a comeback attempt in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to cut the deficit to 6-4. A costly error by shortstop Lessila opened the door when JJ Voit reached base, and the Hawks capitalized with RBI singles from Seegers and Johnny Kelliher.

The Spirits got some breathing room in the sixth when Ben Hurt Haller tripled and scored on Caleb Horvath’s sacrifice fly to make it 7-4. Hartford kept battling, adding another run in the seventh on Griffith Lukes’ RBI single that scored Curtis Rodriguez, making it 7-5 and bringing the potential tying run to the plate.

“Give Hartford credit,” Mueller said. “They never quit! That’s why they’ve been one of the state’s best teams for the past decade or so. They are so dangerous whether they are down by 1 or down by 10, they don’t panic, and they just play.”

Youngster Easton Oliver earned his stripes today with the victory on the mound for West Bend, working all seven innings while allowing nine hits and five runs (four earned). The right-hander struck out four and walked two while keeping the Hawks off balance with his off-speed pitches.

“Easton did a great job of pounding the strike zone again, changing eye levels, and trusting our defense to work behind him,” Mueller noted. “He’s a kid that gets the game, and he’s a diamond in the rough that’s for sure. I can’t wait to see what he can become.”

Hartford’s Brody Marks took the loss despite a solid effort, going six innings and surrendering seven runs on 11 hits while striking out one.

At the plate, the Spirits collected 11 hits with Lessila, Hoier, and Hurt Haller each contributing two hits apiece. Lessila and Church led the RBI parade with two each, while Hoier added another RBI. The Hawks managed nine hits, paced by two-hit performances from Lukes, Kelliher, and Seegers. Kelliher and Seegers each drove in two runs for Hartford, with Seegers going 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

“Michael Seegers is a really, really good baseball player,” Mueller said of the Hawks’ leadoff hitter. “He’s the kind of player that can change a game. We tried to pitch him carefully, but he still finds a way to make an impact on the game.”

The victory improves West Bend’s standing as they sit at 2-0 in the 2025 Wisconsin Amateur Baseball Classic. For Mueller and his squad, tournament play provides another opportunity to showcase their brand of competitive baseball.

“We just have a group of guys that like to lace them up and compete. They just like to play competitive high-level baseball,” Mueller said. “That’s the mark of a good ball club.”

Box Score

West Bend Spirits 7, Hartford Hawks 5

Game Info:

• Date: Saturday, June 28, 2025

• Location: Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field – West Bend, WI

• Weather: Sunny – 77 degrees

• Records: West Bend Spirits (9-3), Hartford Hawks (11-2)

Line Score

WP: Easton Oliver (2-1) LP: Brody Marks (3-1)

HARTFORD HAWKS

• HR: Michael Seegers

• SB: Micheal Seegers

• HBP: Brody Marks

• Pitches-Strikes: Brody Marks 84-62

• Batters Faced: Brody Marks 30

WEST BEND SPIRITS

• 2B: Camden Hoier, Blake Church, Colyn Lessia

• 3B: Ben Hurt Haller

• HBP: Camden Hoier

• SF: Caleb Horvath

• SB: Ben Hurt Haller

• E: Colyn Lessila

• Pitches-Strikes: Easton Oliver 109-68

• Batters Faced: Easton Oliver 32