Lombard Clinches State League Championship

The Lombard Orioles are widely regarded as one of the best semi-pro baseball clubs in the country. They continued to show why on Sunday as they swept the Sheboygan A’s in a doubleheader and clinched the Wisconsin State League Championship.

With the two losses, Sheboygan falls to 20-16 overall and 8-13 in the State League.

Lombard took Game 1 by a score of 9-1. Justin Hunt knocked in the A’s only run on a two-out single in the third. Ryan Faidley led the Orioles with two hits and four RBI including a two-run home run in the first inning.

Joe Sweeny picked up the win, going four innings and only allowing one run. Jack Archie took the loss for Sheboygan allowing eight runs on seven hits in four and a third innings of work.

Sheboygan starter Eric Van Beck held Lombard scoreless for the first three innings, but that all changed when Matt De La Rosa singled, giving the Orioles the 1-0 edge.

The A’s threatened in the sixth when Ryan Schilter started the inning off with a single, followed by a Doug Dekoning walk. After a sacrifice bunt, the A’s had runners on second and third with one out, but could not convert, stranding both runners.

Lombard tacked on one more in the seventh when Faidley singled in his fifth RBI of the day. This would be all the offense the Orioles would need as they took Game 2, 2-0.

Van Beck went the distance for Sheboygan striking out nine and walking six. Matt and Ryan Schilter combined for all four of the A’s four hits.

Story by: The Sheboygan Press