Knights top Belleville as rule call ends game

A seldom used baseball rule came into effect and ended a battle with Belleville Sunday, giving the Dodgeville Knights a 6-4 win.

The rule was a game ending batter interference call that saw Knights catcher Justin Baehler’s throw to second hampered by the batter who spun away from an inside pitch and ended on the ground.  During the throw in an attempt to get the third out Baehler’s arm came down on the batter and the throw was off the mark.

The situation was two outs and runners at the corners when the steal attempt was made.

Fans and players were not pleased with the call but it was the right call.

The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the first.  Sean Reilly started it with a single and Dom McVay was hit by a pitch.  Baehler then singled in Reilly then created a rundown to let McVay score.

They added a run in the second with Tarron Bockhop doubled and scored on a ground out by Grant Roh.

Belleville got two runs back in the third when Matt Everson singled and Leo Koenig drove the ball out of the park in right.

The Raiders tied it in the fifth when Koenig singled, stole second and scored on a sac fly the Sam Urquhart.

The Knights broke the tie in the fifth with three runs that stood up for the win.  Grant Bossert was hit by a pitch and Reilly collected his second single.   A wild pitch put runners on second and third and an error sent in the lead run.  Bockhop followed with a sac fly and Jordan Williams singled for the sixth run.

An error led to a run for Belleville in the ninth but the game ended with the lead run at the plate.

Leyton Bowers went the first four innings on the mound and Jacob Kastenholz finished the lst five.  Kastenholz received the win.

Reilly was 3x5 for the Knights with Baehler and Williams both 2x3.

Thursday the Knights took a 3-2 lead in the fifth over Reedsburg when Roh stole home.  But a pitching shortage worked in Reedsburg’s favor with the Pirates outlasting the Knights 10-5.

The Knights had three hits, one each by Austin Montague, Ty Palzkill and Jamo Allen.