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PBR at The Rock High School Invitational: Game Recaps

April 22, 2023
By: Wisconsin Staff

On April 21st and 22nd, PBR Wisconsin invited some of the top teams from the Badger State to participate in the PBR at the Rock High School Invitational. The invitational features some of the top prospects in Wisconsin with their respective high school teams. Below are game recaps, along with some scout nuggets from the view of our scout team at PBR Wisconsin over the course of the weekend.

DAY 1 

BROOKFIELD CENTRAL VS LAKE COUNTRY LUTHERAN

RHP Jaxon Clayton (2025; uncommitted) was the story for Brookfield Central against Lake Country Lutheran. The 6-foot-1, 182-pound righthander, featuring high hips and an athletic frame, once again proved to be one of the top 2025 prospects in the state, as he struck out 11 batters over 6.1 innings, shutting out a hot Lightning offense. 

With a plethora of pitches, as we saw at both the Madison Preseason ID and Milwaukee Preseason ID in the winter, Clayton displayed his maturity and advanced control of his pitch arsenal, dominating from start to finish. 

Offensively, INF Noah Dreier (2023; Saint Xavier commit) and C Hunter Szymborski (2023; MSOE commit) both were catalysts in sparking the Lancers’ offense. To start, Szymborski demonstrated his consistency at the plate, utilizing the opposite field and barreling up baseballs with an elevated bat path. 

Dreier followed, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with the lone home run on the day for Brookfield Central. Dreier used a stiff breeze and generated some of his own power from the right side, driving a home run to right-center field on Giants Field. Dreier, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound middle infielder, showcased his narrow setup, paired with a falling load, landing and launching as the pitch crosses the plate. 

Brookfield Central, backed by Clayton’s near flawless performance on the mound, got the 5-0 win over a previously undefeated Lake Country Lutheran team, who struggled to get the clutch hit when they had traffic on the basepaths.

GREENFIELD VS GREENDALE

The second game of the first session ended in dramatic fashion, as Greendale snatched a victory away from Greenfield on the last play of the game. 

First, Greenfield jumped out to a 3-0 lead, with the help of INF Evan Alms (2023) and OF Nathan Wendricks (2025), who each contributed an RBI. Wendricks capped off the inning, a 5-foot-10, 150-pound prospect we saw recently at the Milwaukee Preseason ID. The lefty features a low-hand setup, rising and whipping them through the strike zone as the pitch is thrown.

Down 3-2 entering the final frame, the Panthers strung some hits together and took advantage of a wild pitch, which tied the game at three apiece. Then, INF Luke Mattes (2025) barreled up a line drive that fell in front of the Hustlin’ Hawks’ center fielder, driving in the winning run. 

Mattes, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, features an athletic and projectable frame, standing at 165 pounds. His high hands and quick barrel allowed him to get on top of a high fastball, and elevate it over the infield for the 4-3 walkoff win. 

MUSKEGO VS KENOSHA ST. JOSEPH

It was a pitchers duel in game two of the night at as two-talented teams in Muskego and Kenosha St. Joseph squared off. 

On the bump for the Lancers was RHP Luke Schuler (2023; St. Thomas, football) who held a talented Muskego lineup to just one run on two hits and also punched out five. During his complete game efforts, Schuler sat in the mid-80s with his fastball and also spun in a 11/5 breaking ball that flashed sharpness. 

Opposing Schuler was RHP Zachary Olson (2023; Hawaii commit) who also sat in the mid-80s with his heater and he spun in a sweeping-type breaking ball that earned plenty of swings-and-misses. During his six innings of work, Olson struckout seven and scattered five hits. 

As for offense, the aforementioned Schuler helped himself early on as he ripped a single to right that brought home the first run of the game, and gave St. Joseph’s an early 1-0 lead. After that we didn’t see another run until the fourth when former PBR Junior Future Game participant, 1B Dominic Santarelli (2026; Louisville commit) smacked a RBI single to extend the lead to two. 

While the Muskego offense was quieted by Schuler, in the sixth they started to show signs of life. After an error from the Lancer defense, and a HBP, INF Ben Kuglitsch (2026) came up and ripped a single himself that brought home a run and cut the lead to just one. 

This was all the offense Muskego would see in the matchup as they couldn’t muster anything else off of Schuler. With the win, Kenosha St. Joseph’s moves to 4-1 on the season. 

KAUKAUNA VS ST. THOMAS MORE

In this back-and-forth affair, St. Thomas More outlasted Kaukauna 9-4. The Cavaliers put up five runs in the first three innings, as former PBR JFG participant INF Brayden Alivo (2026) and OF Jacob Brooks (2023) both drove in runs early. 

Alivo has played a vital role early in the season for St. Thomas More, stepping up as a freshman onto the varsity stage. The 5-foot-10, 145-pound prospect has an athletic frame with plenty of room to continue to fill out, as his mature approach on both sides of the ball has allowed him to perform well for one of the top teams in the state. 

In addition to those two bats, C Brady Johnson (2024) had a good day at the plate, driving pitches in two of his at bats, accumulating two hits in the game. Standing upright in his stance, Johnson is consistently on time and barrels up baseballs when he makes contact, as demonstrated on Friday. 

SS Alex Alicea (2023; Louisville commit) was an issue for Kaukauna on the basepaths, stealing a base and hitting two doubles. His quick hands, paired with a smooth bat path, allowed him to once again impress in front of us, as he elevated two pitches into the gaps of Pirates Field. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound athlete also showed well at shortstop, displaying a polished and advanced skill set as one of the top middle infielders in the Badger State.

The Galloping Ghosts put up a fight with the help of INF Christopher DeGroot (2024), who sent a double to the opposite field to cut into an early Cavalier lead. DeGroot was able to lay the barrel on a fastball, taking it the other way, and driving in two runs in the process.

This was not enough though, as St. Thomas More improved to 8-1 on the season and took home a 9-4 win over Kaukauna. 

ARROWHEAD VS MOSINEE

The nightcap featured early offense from Arrowhead, who used four runs in the first three innings to guide them to a 7-4 victory. 

C/DH Thomas Curry (2023; Missouri commit) drove in two runs in the first inning with a two-RBI double, as he was not retired on the night, walking three times afterwards. Curry has a mature frame and advanced strength, standing at 6-foot-1, 215 pounds. The righty, featuring wide-base setup and quiet hands, an approach we’ve seen multiple times, barreled up a fastball to deep right-center field, one-hopping the wall in the deep portion of Franklin Field. 

Leading the way in hits was OF Issei Takahashi (2024) from the two-spot in the order. The lefty continued to showcase his ability to drive baseballs to the opposite field and up the middle, as that’s where he barreled up his two base hits on the night. Takahashi has quick hands that fly through the zone, allowing him to let the ball travel before he swings. 

With a plethora of pitchers, the Warhawks were able to quiet a potent Mosinee offense, who couldn’t quite find a rhythm. INF Davin Stoffel (2023; South Dakota State commit, football) and OF Taylor Lemanski (2024) each had triples to deep left-center field, elevating and launching pitches into the dark, night sky at Franklin Field. 

After that though, the Indians could not muster up enough runs to win the game, as Arrowhead held on and won 7-4. INF Ethan Hindle (2023; Kentucky commit), a star athlete, was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk, along with UTIL Sam Vargas (2024), who chipped in two RBIs. 

DAY 2

KAUKAUNA VS FRANKLIN

In our first slot of the day on Saturday, Franklin and Kaukauna faced off at Franklin Field. Franklin’s offense exploded for 12 hits on the day and scored 10 runs to secure a big win over Kaukauna.

In the top of the second Kaukauna struck first with some base hits by 1B Chrisopher Degroot, and DH Noah Meyer (2023; Carroll commit). 2B Tyler Jezeski (2024) would then collect the RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field.

Franklin answered back in the bottom of the inning scoring four total runs on five hits. 1B Maxamillion Martin (2023; Kaskaskia JC commit) capped off the inning with a ground rule double to boost Franklin’s lead to 4-1.

OF Alex Mierow  and SS Boston Halloran (2023; Oakland commit) each came away with two hits on the day. Mierow also had an extra base hit and drove in two runs on the day.

OF Lucas Farin (2023; Wisconsin-Oshkosh commit) led Franklin offensively on the day with three hits. The athletic right-handed hitter showed feel to hit and used the whole field at the plate against Kaukauna. Farin was also responsible for driving in a run and scored twice himself, too.

RHP Cooper Kamlay (2024) has put together a string of quality performances on the mound. In this look at Kamlay tossed five innings in which he allowed one run on three hits, and struck out seven batters during his appearance. Kamlay showed the ability to throw strikes with all three of his pitches, his fastball sat 81-84 mph, and had above-average feel for two offspeed pitches, a low-70s slider and a mid-70s changeup.

Kaukauna would put up two more runs in the top of the seventh inning as the deficit would prove to be too much to overcome as Franklin beat Kaukauna 10-3.

UNIVERSITY SCHOOL VS PEWAUKEE

In a clash between two Division Two teams, delayed by poor weather conditions in the middle of the game, University School made a valiant comeback and defeated Pewaukee on Saturday.

1B/LHP Graham Kasten (2024) was the star, as the 6-foot-1, 205-pound lefty was not retired, going 3-for-3 with a double, triple, grand slam, and five RBIs. The uncommitted 2024 prospect was only a single away from hitting for the cycle. In the middle of University School’s lineup, Kasten features a whippy bat paired with quiet hands, allowing him to elevate the baseball, as his timing was perfect in his plate appearances on Saturday. The first baseman raised his stock in a big way over the weekend, impressing as one of the top hitters at the tournament.

His teammate, C/SS Vidal Colon (2023; Illinois-Chicago commit) followed in Kasten’s footsteps, earning two hits of his own, along with driving in two runs. Colon, who we’ve seen impress in multiple appearances, continued to look the part as one of the top hitters in the 2023 class, barreling up baseballs and being a game-changer behind the plate. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound prospect is primed for a stellar spring as a middle-of-the-order presence in this Wildcats’ lineup. 

RHP Ryan Sopha (2024), an uncommitted arm in a loaded 2024 class, was solid in his 4.1 innings of work as the Pirates’ starter. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound righthander, with his physical frame, sat in the mid-80s with his fastball, mixing in a quality slider and curveball as solid complements. He struck out nine and didn’t allow an earned run. 

INF Owen Dobberstein (2025) and UTIL Logan Schill (2023) both had three hits for Pewaukee on the day. Dobberstein drove in four runs, and Schill had two doubles and a home run. 

University School erupted for 12 runs in the final three innings after the weather delay, including a seven-run seventh inning. This offensive explosion guided them to a 13-7 win, as the Pirates couldn’t get much going against Colon in the final three innings.

NEW BERLIN WEST VS NEENAH

Neenah stormed back and snatched a victory away from New Berlin West in this one, putting up four runs in the sixth inning to take the lead, and eventually hold onto it. 

INF Ethan Van Dyke (2024) led the way for the Rockets, going 2-for-3 from the middle of the order. The righty showed well this past winter at the West Milwaukee Preseason ID, hitting a ball at a max 92 mph. 

RHP Zakary Vanlerberghe (2024), who showcased his talents at the Green Bay Preseason ID a couple of months ago, was the main reason Neenah stayed competitive in this one. The 5-foot-10, thick righthander threw 4.1 innings of shutout baseball in relief, using his three-pitch mix to navigate through the New Berlin West lineup. Vanlerberghe struck out three on the day. 

In the sixth inning, OF/LHP AJ Price (2024), featuring a smooth left handed swing, had the big hit, driving in a run to give his team the lead. 

The Vikings took advantage of walks in the first inning to score, but struggled to string together hits, as they only had three as a team. 3B Daniel Kibler (2025), listed at a mature 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, had one of those hits, driving a ball to center field in his final at bat of the game. 

Neenah was able to hold on to their 6-4 lead in this one, only allowing one run in the final inning, giving them a 6-5 win. 

CATHOLIC MEMORIAL VS NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER

In the first game of the day for New Berlin Eisenhower, RHP/INF Caleb Johns (2026) was the standout, dominating on the mound in his first extended start of his prep career. The former 2022 JFG Team Wisconsin participant struck out 12 batters in 6.1 innings of work, only allowing two hits and one run. The 6-foot-1, 170-pound righthander’s fastball sat in the low 80s throughout his start, paired with a curveball that kept Catholic Memorial off-balance all game. Johns demonstrated advanced control and maturity on the bump, looking comfortable and natural on the varsity stage. 

The offense was sparked by their senior leader, INF River Lindsey (2023; Rock Valley JC commit) was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double in the leadoff spot. Lindsey stole two bases as well, showcasing his blazing speed in front of us, separating himself as a difference-maker in this one. In 2022, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound prospect ran a 6.59 60-yard dash as one of the fastest players in his class, as the speed was on display at The Rock on Saturday.

OF Axel Krainz (2024) had two hits for the Lions as well, and OF Adam Hirthe (2023) was not retired at the bottom of the order, going 1-for-1 on the day with two RBIs and two walks. 

Behind Johns’ stellar performance and just enough offense, Catholic Memorial could not muster up much offense to compete in this one, as New Berlin Eisenhower went on to win 8-2. RHP/INF Zachary Rechner (2023; Saint Xavier commit) had the lone RBI for the Crusaders in a losing effort.

MUSKEGO VS HUDSON 

 In our last slot at Franklin Field, Muskego took on our No. 6 ranked team in state, Hudson. Right away in the first, SS Brock Lulewicz (2024; Wichita State commit), and OF/LHP Bradyn Horn (2024) reached base on a single, and 1B Nolan Tomsyck (2023; Beloit College commit) would then fly out to bring home a run on the sacrifice fly.

Then in the top of the second, 3B Ben Kuglitsch (2026) led off with a single and he was eventually brought home on a sacrifice from 2B Daniel Hauboldt (2025). The aforementioned Lulewicz would then come and deliver another single that brought home one more. To round out their scoring efforts in their four-run second inning, one run was brought home on a passed ball and the aforementioned Horn flew out on a sacrifice fly to bring home another, making the score 5-0. 

 In the top of the fifth, Muskego would add on two more runs, courtesy of a two-RBI triple from OF Steven Wintheiser (2023; Wisconsin-Stevens Point commit) to right field. This is where the scoring would stop for Muskego, as they exploded for seven runs on 11 hits en route to the win. 

On the mound, the aforementioned Horn notched the win due to his efforts over four innings in which he allowed just three hits and struck out four. During his outing, the southpaw Horn, sat in the low-80s with his fastball and earned swings-and-misses on a big 1/7 breaking ball, too. 

RHP Tyler Gress (2025) came in and relieved Horn and he was equally impressive as he struck out three, while giving up just two hits in three innings of work. 

NEW BERLIN EISENHOWER VS ST. THOMAS MORE

RHP Elijah Niemiec (2023; UW-Stevens Point commit) showed off his ace qualities in the night cap of the weekend tournament. Under the lights, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound prospect was flat out dominant in his start. He pitched six innings in his start, striking out 12 batters and not allowing New Berlin Eisenhower to score a run, after they put up eight in their prior game. 

The righthander featured a two-pitch mix, cranking his fastball up to 89 mph early. His effortless delivery, and similar arm angle allowed him to mix in a sharp curveball in the strike zone as well, keeping the Lions off balance for a majority of the game. 

INF Alex Alicea (2023; Louisville commit), who was mentioned in Friday’s recap, continued to do major damage at the plate, flipping baseballs into the gaps from the left side of the plate, going both pull-side and to the opposite field. He had two hits and one RBI on the night.

C/RHP Samuel Mommer (2024) also had two hits for St. Thomas More in their victory, finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. 

New Berlin Eisenhower could not get much going offensively against the likes of Niemiec and Mommer, as they combined to only allow three hits and one run, getting St. Thomas More their second win of the weekend, winning 9-1 to end the Saturday slate of games. 

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