It was an action-packed week for Antigo youth baseball, spanning from high-stakes regional travel tournaments to the highly anticipated launch of the local Little League Majors season. Whether playing under the tournament lights of Minocqua or on the home dirt in Antigo, local ballplayers delivered high-scoring offenses, pristine defense, and an unbelievable display of speed on the basepaths.
The 12U Stallions engaged in a roller-coaster tournament of heavy-hitting baseball over the weekend of May 29–31 at the Lakeland Summer Kickoff Tournament, capping off their weekend with a dramatic finish that players and fans won’t soon forget.
The action opened on Friday, May 29, with a classic slugfest against the Wausau Sluggers 6th Grade Red. Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the first, Cameron Williams sent a jolt through the dugout, blasting a majestic home run to center field to tie the game instantly. What followed was a see-saw battle. Wausau recaptured the lead, but Preston Wickersheim came through with a clutch RBI single in the third to knot things up. Wickersheim was an absolute force at the plate, turning in a perfect 3-for-3 performance.
On the mound, Jordy Zupon fought through a potent Wausau lineup, striking out six over four hard-fought innings, while Nolan Schofield and Zupon both added multi-hit games. Trailing by four runs late, the Stallions mounted a furious fifth-inning rally. Wickersheim singled again, and Derek Warren drove in a run on a sharp line-out to close the gap to a single run. Though Antigo ultimately ran out of outs in a heartbreaking 9-8 loss, the comeback attempt set a resilient tone.
Saturday, May 30, brought a difficult matchup against a disciplined Grafton Jr. Hawks 11U squad, resulting in a 14-4 setback. The Stallions briefly seized momentum in the top of the second inning when Ridge Hessedahl launched a clutch double, driving in two runs to put Antigo on top 2-1. Hessedahl was a bright spot for the Stallions, going 2-for-2 out of the number eight spot in the lineup. However, the Hawks responded with an explosive six-run rally and kept their foot on the gas, setting up a crucial Sunday finale where Antigo looked to bounce back.
On Sunday, May 31, the Stallions engaged in an 11-8 thriller against the Greenville Griffins 12U White. Greenville ambushed Antigo for four runs early, but Cameron Williams answered immediately in the bottom of the second, launching his first home run of the day to center field, followed by a sharp RBI single from Brian Schultz to tie the game.
The teams traded blows like heavyweight fighters. Nolan Schofield—who went a spectacular 3-for-3 on the day—laced a triple into the outfield and scored to tie the game at six. Trailing 8-6 in the bottom of the fourth, the Stallions flipped the script, loading the bases to tie the game at 8-8 and setting the stage for history.
With runners aboard, Cameron Williams stepped into the box and crushed a ball deep into the outfield. Turning on the jets in a breathless dash around the diamond, Williams beat the throw home for a spectacular three-run, inside-the-park, walk-off home run, sending the Stallions dugout into absolute pandemonium. Brian Schultz and Derek Warren provided crucial relief appearances on the mound to keep Greenville within striking distance and make the victory possible.
The 12U squad wasn't the only team putting on an offensive clinic in Minocqua. The Antigo Stallions 10U team battled through a highly competitive weekend of their own, finishing with a 1-2 record but flashing immense potential and explosive firepower, racking up 21 hits across three games.
The 10U Stallions opened play on Saturday, May 30, with a hard-fought 5-4 loss to the Plover Americans. Remarkably, Antigo completely outhit their opponent 6-4 but struggled to cash in on enough run-scoring opportunities. Reggie Zupon led the offense with two hits, including a spectacular first-inning solo home run to put the Stallions on the board early. Jaeden Schroeder added an RBI single, while Eddie Brandt was absolutely dominant on the mound, striking out six batters over two scoreless, hitless frames of work.
The team bounced back dramatically later that afternoon, rallying from a four-run deficit to crush the Green Bay Sluggers Gold 11-5. Trailing late, the Stallions' offense completely erupted for a massive 10-run explosion in the fifth inning. The definitive blow came from Levi Fassbender, who cleared the bases with a clutch three-run single. Zachary Flanagan, Maverick Diven, and Griffin Foley all added crucial RBI contributions during the rally. Eddie Brandt paced the offense with two hits and earned the start, striking out five batters in two innings, while Zupon added four strikeouts in his own two-inning relief appearance to seal the comeback victory.
On Sunday, May 31, the 10U Stallions again outhit their opponent but fell 8-4 to a tough Wisconsin Wolfpack team. Rylin Gress spearheaded the top of the lineup, recording two hits and causing havoc on the basepaths with two stolen bases. The highlight of the game came off the bat of Maverick Diven, who showed incredible wheels by blasting a thrilling inside-the-park home run.
Over the course of the weekend, the 10U boys proved they have a deep pitching staff to rely on, receiving strong, competitive performances on the bump from Brandt, Zupon, Diven, Gress, and Trevinn Wickersham.
The local diamond action officially heated up on Monday, June 1, as the CoVantage Cardinals secured a thrilling 13-9 victory over the Rays in a Little League Majors showdown defined by elite baserunning and flawless fundamental defense.
The CoVantage Cardinals set the tone immediately in the top of the first inning, capitalizing on a two-run groundout by Landon Q to open the scoring. They padded their early advantage in the second frame when Griffin F pulled off a spectacular straight steal of home, followed by an Austin L RBI groundout to push the lead to 4-0. The Cardinals extended the cushion further in the third when Jax Z laced an RBI double, and Eddie B brought home three runs on a sharp groundout.
Jax Z was an absolute force at the plate, turning in a perfect 3-for-3 performance that featured a pair of doubles in the first and third innings alongside a fourth-inning single. Right fielder Griffin F also enjoyed a perfect day at the dish, going 2-for-2 with an RBI. On the mound, Chase M put together a stellar start for the Cardinals, holding the Rays completely hitless through two frames while striking out two. Jayce M and Evan K pitched effectively in relief to lock down the victory.
Despite trailing early, the Rays displayed tremendous patience and discipline, drawing 12 total walks on the evening—led by three bases-on-balls apiece from Trevinn W and Jace P. The Rays' offense scraped back into the game with RBIs from Reggie Z, Maverick D, and Zayden M. Rylin G started on the bump for the Rays, striking out three over two innings of work.
While the teams combined for 22 runs, the defining stories of the matchup were speed and defensive execution:
The turn of the calendar from May to June has proven that the future of Antigo baseball is incredibly bright. Across travel tournaments and local league play, our youth athletes are showcasing the ultimate intangible asset in sports: character. It is easy for young teams to fold under pressure, but whether it is the Stallions launching late-inning tournament comebacks or the Majors squads executing flawless, error-free defensive baseball under local lights, the grit is unmistakable. Local sports fans are in for an incredibly entertaining summer of baseball.
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