Kings Cant Close Out Nationals

It will take one more game to decide the Langsdorf League championship.

The Kenosha Kings, attempting to win their fourth straight Langsdorf title, stranded 18 base runners and walked nine batters in falling to the West Allis Nationals, 11-7, in the second game of the best-of-three Langsdorf championship series Thursday at Simmons Field.

The teams will decide the series 4:30 p.m Saturday at New Berlin West High School.

The Kings (31-19) took a 7-6 lead in the sixth inning before the Nationals tied it with a solo run in the eighth and scored four runs in the ninth. Kenosha reliever Andrew Paulauskas (3-1) pitched the final two innings and allowed three hits and four runs (all earned) with three walks and three strikeouts.

“I sent Paulauskas out there thinking he was going to mow them down,” Kings’ manager Tim Pulizzano said. “He just couldn’t find his rhythm.”

Kings’ starter Jon Olson went seven innings and gave up six hits and six runs (five earned) with six walks and seven strikeouts. He was removed after throwing 134 pitches.

“We were walking the bases loaded and getting in jams,” Pulizzano said. “(West Allis) is too good of a hitting team to do that.”

Kenosha took a 4-3 lead with a three-run fifth inning and added a pair of runs in the sixth. West Allis then outscored the Kings 8-1 in the final three innings.

Paul Pulera went 3-for-4 with one RBI and Billy Johnson went 3-for-6 with a double and one RBI. Andrew Highland and Joe Ferro each went 2-for-4.

Eric Schumacher (3-2) will start Saturday’s title game.

Story by: The Kenosha News
Photo(s) by: Brian Passino of The Kenosha News