Webster wins first-ever State title in D-3 debut

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – Webster, after losing in last year’s Division-4 semifinals, was given a Division-3 designation in 2018. On Thursday, the Tigers defeated a quality St. Mary Catholic team, a program with a track record of success, to earn their school’s first-ever State title in baseball – in their team’s debut season in the D-3.

Webster, a school of 196 students – just two more than D-4 State attendees Johnson Creek and Thorp – would have to climb an even steeper uphill battle to return to the title game this season. But for head coach Jarrod Washburn and his team, the upgrade in opposing competition only seemed to motivate his team that much more.

The Tigers won 27 games this season, when all was wrapped up after Thursday’s State title. In their two games here in Appleton, they were confident, aggressive, and smart. Webster was constantly challenging for extra bases in the most opportune moments and taking advantage of small ball while also knowing when they had the green light to aim for the gaps, too.

Jack Washburn, one of Webster’s two aces, made the start against the Zephyrs. He first took the mound with a 1-0 lead after Trevor Gustafson led off the game with a double and eventually scored on Washburn’s own sac fly.

In last year’s semifinals loss, Washburn was also given the starting nod as a sophomore. He was frustrated that, early on, he allowed Independence/Gilmanton to score three in the first inning. Webster could never gain back the lead after tying it, leading to a loss.

Shades of that game were re-emerging on Thursday.

Washburn hit the first batter and walked the next. But, after striking out the next two Zephyrs, it looked like the Webster righty was going to escape the jam. That’s when St. Mary Catholic’s hero from yesterday, T.J. Skrzypczak, stepped in and roped a line drive to right-center scoring both baserunners, capturing the lead for his team, 2-1.

A quiet second led to another sac fly from Webster to tie the game up at two. After Jack’s brother Owen, a freshman, tripled down the left field line to open the top of the third. Carsen Stenberg’s fly out to left was deep enough to get the younger Washburn home.

Meanwhile, Jack had begun to settle in on the mound. St. Mary was still making him work hard, and his pitch rose very quickly, but he was next to untouchable when he was working in the strike zone. After he worked through another brief St. Mary jam in the bottom of the third, he cruised through fourth and fifth innings, finishing his outing with 11 strikeout, with the game still tied up.

Washburn returned to the dugout after the fifth with 98 pitches on his arm, so Webster knew it was about to rely on its bullpen the rest of the way, making it critical they try and scratch across a go-ahead run in the sixth.

And the Tigers didn’t just snag the lead in the inning, they broke it wide open.

With one out, Jack stepped up to the plate and launched a long fly ball that carried over the center fielder, one-hopping off the high wall in straightaway center, deep enough for him to glide into third. Hunter Gustafson stood in the batter’s box next looking for his first hit of the day after going 5-for-5 in yesterday’s semifinal. He ripped a line drive to left to score Washburn and take the lead, 3-2. Then came the hit parade. Hunter Rosenbaum doubled to right-center, putting runners on second and third, and a two-run triple from Brad Sigfrids followed. He came into to score right after on Trenton Wols’ RBI single to center to take Webster’s lead to 6-2.

Owen relieved his brother in the bottom of the sixth and worked over a lead-off walk to take over the game’s momentum.

Webster added two more runs in the top of the seventh with the help of a throwing error on an attempted pick-off and a sac fly from Rosenbaum to give themselves a six-run cushion with three outs to go.

The freshman Washburn then got St. Mary to go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh, catching the third out on a pop-up right back to him atop the mound to end the game and deliver his team a State championship.

St. Mary’s six- through nine-hole hitters finished the game 0-for-11 with one walk and seven strikeouts. The production Webster eventually got from its hitters up and down their lineup was the difference-maker in this game, namely the two extra-base hits the freshman Washburn tallied.

Now’s the time for an important reminder: this Webster team will return their two aces, Jack Washburn and Hunter Rosenbaum, in 2019 when they attempt to earn back-to-back State titles.

RELATED CONTENT