Chiefs get another home game
By Jeff Theis | Winona Daily News

The Winona Chiefs amateur baseball team was playing for more than the Twin Rivers East Division Championship on Friday night. They were playing for a home game in the Region 5C tournament.

The Chiefs accomplished that feat by shutting out Plainview 7-0 at Gabrych Park.

Plainview's Mike Lawler makes an out as Winona's Matt Barrie slides into first base during their game Friday night at Gabrych Park in Winona. (Photo by Fred Schulze/Winona Daily News)

The Chiefs will host a Region 5C tournament game at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gabrych Park.

“It was good to get the win,” Winona coach Ryan Buhler said. “It starts us off on the right foot. It gets us a higher seed in the Regional tournament.”

The Chiefs played their first game in almost three weeks due to last week’s win due to forfeit against

St. Charles, and seemed to show little rust.

Eric Belter, Lee Trocinski and Matt O’Brien combined for a four-hitter and the offense had two three-run innings.

“The guys played real well,” Buhler said. “They pitched real well. It was great for our confidence, it was great for our bats and it was great for our arms.”

Belter pitched a fantastic game on the mound for Winona, going seven innings, allowing four hits, striking out eight and walking two.

“Belter looked great,” Buhler said. “He’s pitched great for us all year and this was another good pitching performance from him.”

The Chiefs got the scoring going early. In the bottom of the second, Ben Johnson and Travis Hengel hit back-to-back one-out singles. John Skappel followed with a three-run home run to right field to give the Chiefs a 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Bryan Wanek drove home Scott Weifenbach. Three batters later, Belter drove in Andy Biesanz to cap off a three-run inning. Seven of the Chiefs eight hits came in the second and fifth innings.

“We started off a little slow, but we got it going,” Buhler said. “I think we saw what we need to see today. We have some practice time next week and we should be ready for our game next Wednesday.”

Wanek finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored and Biesanz finished 1-for-3 for Winona.

Matt Brekke went 2-for-4 with a double, Kyle Sill went 1-for-3 and Ryan Eversman went 1-for-3 for Plainview.

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