Brownton stuns Plato, to play Glencoe in state qualifier

It was quite the return to regional play for Brownton, as the eighth-seeded Bruins stunned No. 1 seeded – and defending state champion – Plato, 6-5, in ten innings of the Region 7C Tournament opener on Friday, Aug. 5, in Watertown.

The Blue Jays carried an 18-game winning streak into the game and had swept the Bruins in two Crow River Valley League meetings this season. They took an early 1-0 lead as Tyler Lang singled home Nolan Lepel with a two-out single off starting pitcher Josh Wendlandt in the bottom of the first inning.

Brownton bounced back in a big way by exploding for four runs in the top of the third. After Plato starter Adam Prehn hit both Brad Daak and Spencer Glaeser, an RBI single by Ryan Grams plated Daak to make the score 1-1.

Ryan Grams kept the ball rolling with a single, leading to a two-run double by Deryk Randt that gave the Bruins a 3-1 lead as Glaeser and Grams crossed home plate. Randt scored shortly thereafter on a Jason Rosenau single that pushed the score to 4-1, but the frame came to a close as Taylor Schuette – who had reached on a fielder’s choice – was thrown out at home as he attempted to score run No. 5.

For more on this story, see the Aug. 10 issue of the Chronicle.