By Spencer Flaten
Staff Writer 

GRAND CHUTE, Wis.—Waupaca advanced to the Division 2 state championship game with a narrow 6-3 victory over West Salem in the semifinals.

In a game that wrapped up after midnight, the Comets’ Jason Ellie spun a gem on the mound to get the win, but it wasn’t easy for Waupaca.

They took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Jacob Popham drew a bases-loaded walk to draw the first blood of the game.

The Panthers responded with two runs in the third. Nick Schultz grounded out for an RBI and a Waupaca error allowed West Salem to score again and take a 2-1 lead.

The Comets immediately regained the lead in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded, Nate Meihak drilled a double into right center to plate three runs and make the score 4-2.

Waupaca added two more in the fifth thanks to an RBI single by Walker Smith and a throwing error.

Down to their final three outs of the season in the top of the seventh, West Salem loaded the bases with only one out. Trevor Kastenschmidt hit an RBI single through the hole on the left side of the infield to reduce the lead to three runs and put the tying run on first base.

In the biggest at-bat of the game, Ellie struck out Mitch Hansen to strand the bases loaded and win the game.

Ellie struck out 11 in a complete game performance. He allowed nine hits and two earned runs. Alex Jeranek was the losing pitcher, allowing four runs over 2.2 innings.

Brenden Canterbury collected two hits for the Comets. Jake Whitbeck and Kastenschmidt both had two hits for West Salem.

Waupaca will face Milwaukee Lutheran with the Division 2 state title on the line at 3 p.m. on Thursday.