De Pere bests Menasha in division one quarterfinals, 2-0

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (WBAY) - Top seeded De Pere is on to the division one semifinals after knocking off Menasha in a pitchers duel, 2-0.

The two sides combined for just five in hits in the first four innings. Just one of those base knocks coming against Bluejays left hander Quinn Ludvigsen at that point.

He would go on to finish with six strikeouts and a pair of walks, but one would come back to haunt Menasha.

Then in the fifth the Redbirds took advantage of a lead off walk and a throwing error for their first run of the day.

Jake Weckwerth dropped down a sacrifice bunt to move his brother Brett over from first base, but the throw would get away. Allowing Brett Weckwerth to score all the way from first to get De Pere on the board.

A short time later Axel Donaldson would drive in Brett Weckwerth with a base hit to left field. It was just the third of the game for De Pere at that point, but drove in their second run of the afternoon.

“We know we’re going to have to face some adversity. We know we’re going to have face some hard situations, but we know we can make it out of those situations and that’s what we did today,” said second baseman Axel Donaldson.

That would be enough for Redbirds pitcher Easton Arendt, who finished of a complete game with four strikeouts and allowing just six hits in the 2-0 win.

“We prepare the guys mentally a lot. We knew were going to be coming into some big situations at the end of the end of the year. So, it’s something we’ve talked about for a long time. Kind of a relax intensity. I think our guys just want it so bad, and they’re going to do whatever it takes,” said head coach Bob VanRens.

De Pere will face Westosha Central in the division one semifinals on Wednesday at Fox Cities Stadium at 2:30 p.m.