Weekend Recap: A’s Capture Play Ball Tournament Championship
Posted: May 22, 2023
For the second straight season, the A’s started off the year by winning the Play Ball Tournament Championship.
The A’s accomplished the feat by not allowing a single run over three games, shutting out Appleton 5-0, the DC Marvels 2-0, and winning the championship game 6-0 over the Manitowoc Bandits.
Second year player Brady Zackrison (Marian University) was named the tournament’s MVP, collecting four hits, including a home run, and a walk on Saturday.
Returning from an injury that cut short his 2020 season, veteran Eric Schmitz (UW-Whitewater Alum) looked like he was in mid-season form as he got the game one start against Appleton. He went four innings, striking out seven and walking just one. Dylan Davis (Marian University), pitched two innings of relief, striking out two. Newcomer and Sheboygan native Ben Vorpahl (Concordia University) closed things out in the seventh.
Jared Reklaitis (UW-Milwaukee Alum) threw a complete game, 79-pitch shutout in his season debut, striking out 10 and scattering three hits to pick up right where he left off last season. Jacob Neese (Parkland CC) had a single and a triple to lead the offense as six A’s batters collected hits in the low-scoring affair.
A five-run fourth secured that tournament championship for the A’s as they went out to complete the shutout trifecta over Manitowoc. The A’s took advantage of eight walks, a double by Bennet Becker (Carroll College), and a triple by Kyle Flynn (Concordia University) to get the victory. Noah Imrie (Marian University Alum) got the start, striking out six in five innings of work. Michael Martinez (Marian University) and Ryan Roehl (St. Cloud State) pitched in relief.
The A’s next travel to Kewaskum on Wednesday to open up Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League play. They return home Saturday and Sunday for a four-game weekend set with the Chicago Rippers. Sunday’s game is the first Meijer Family Day of the season. Kids ages 14 and under get a free general admission ticket to the game. Parents can sign their child up to be one of the game’s Junior Starters where they will be introduced with an A’s player on the field. Single game tickets for all May and June home games are on sale now. The 2023 season is presented by Meijer.
The Sheboygan A's are members of the Wisconsin State League and Northeastern Wisconsin Baseball League. The A's have helped develop more than 43 players that have reached professional baseball, including 2002 World Series Champion Jarrod Washburn (Anaheim Angels). All Sheboygan A's home games are played at Wildwood Baseball Park in Sheboygan. Connect with the A's on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
