Top-10 Stories of 2018: No. 6 Muskego wins title in final WIAA summer season

The final game of the storied WIAA summer season was played in 2018, a matchup between Muskego and Pius XI. The 54-year-old summer season came to a dramatic conclusion, too – an extra-inning, 2-1 contest that came down to a walk-off single off the bat of Muskego’s Frankie Cistaro in the bottom of the eighth.

The Warriors struggled to find offense in the semifinals and championship games but their pitching staff starred en route to their program’s first-ever title. Rob Zolecki tossed a no-hitter in Muskego’s 1-0 win over Plymouth in the semis. Against a top-ranked Pius squad, Jacob Leszczynski took the ball and one-hit the Popes across five innings. Muskego was held similarly at bay on offense and both teams marched through a scoreless seven frames.

In the top of the eighth, Pius broke the game’s 0-0 score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Gino D’Alessio.

All of a sudden, with the season on the line and the last of Wisconsin’s summer ball legacy left, Muskego triumphantly put together against D’Alessio, the one responsible for putting them in the 1-0 hole.

With one out, Cooper Tamblyn doubled to right and was immediately moved to third base on a wild pitch. Tamblyn double jumpstarted Muskego’s march back into the game. Finally, the Warriors were able to execute a bunt attempt, and this one scored Tamblyn to tie the game up. Back-to-back walks had the Warriors on the brink of a complete comeback and walk-off win, and senior leader Cistaro reversed Muskego’s fortunes, driving in pinch-runner Richard Wauer on a single to center to seal the deal, 2-1.

The win was fitting for Muskego’s head coach Jacob Paige, who grew up in the state, played summer ball, and has had spells coaching at various programs in the area, all of which participated in WIAA’s summer schedule.

In 2019, the WIAA baseball calendar will make the switch to a spring-only schedule, one of the only states left that had previously been offering the summer format.

Pius, a prominent Milwaukee-area program that had won its only summer state title back in 2001, will turn the chapter into spring ball after a strong 2018 in which they won 30 games. Muskego, on the other hand, heated up in the second half of their season and the roller coaster ride earned them a place in the final championship game in the history of WIAA summer baseball. The Warriors went 22-12 in 2018 and captured their first state title in their final chance at summer ball glory.

TOP STORIES OF 2018