Blue Ribbons go to extras on alumni night

GREEN BAY – The hot dogs sizzled and the lights began to flicker on as the newest Hall of Farmers were freshly inducted. Moments later, the first pitch smacked into Boone Kirst’s glove. 

Longtime Blue Ribbon rivals, the Sheboygan Athletics, looked to bounce back from a tough 8-2 loss to the West Allis Nationals. The Blue Ribbons aimed to extend their five-game win streak after the Independence Day break. 

With plenty to fight for, both teams came out swinging—most noticeably in a brewing pitching duel. Alumni watched through the third inning as a rare double perfect game began to take shape. 

It wasn’t until the fourth inning that the A’s reached base and broke the scoring drought with an RBI double off the left-field wall. In the bottom half, the Ribbons also found the base paths but came up empty after consecutive first-pitch putouts. 

The Athletics capitalized on the momentum, adding two more runs in the fifth with another double, again off the bottom of the left-field wall. After the A’s retired the side and started the sixth with two singles, the Ribbons finally got the break they needed: a double play on a misplayed bunt, followed by a line-drive snag to end the inning. 

Payton Kohnle sparked the offense with a two-strike double to right field. With two outs and momentum slipping, Kirst kept the inning alive, driving in the run with a double of his own before a popout ended the frame. 

Despite only crossing the plate once, the Ribbons’ dugout buzzed. 

The game felt within reach. Relief pitcher Easton Arendt kept the energy going. After striking out the leadoff batter, the defense turned another double play to keep the A’s off the scoreboard in the seventh. 

The Ribbons couldn’t capitalize—another 1-2-3 inning left only two left for the comeback. 

Sheboygan didn’t make it easy in the eighth, tacking on two more runs thanks to four defensive errors by the Ribbons. But the rough inning lit a fire under Green Bay, as the top of the lineup battled back with singles, walks and hit-by-pitches, loading the bases for Kirst. He tallied another RBI with a single to right, cutting the deficit to 5-3. 

Five pitches later, Brayden Pleau ripped a ball to center field, plating another run. Still with the bases loaded and no outs, James Bornick grounded into a double play—but not before smart baserunning by Kirst tied the game, 5-5. 

The defensive duel continued through the top of the ninth. Blue Ribbons fans in attendance were on edge, eyes locked on every pitch, waiting for the walk-off. But they’d need more patience—this game was headed to play extra baseball. 

After another clutch defensive performance by the Ribbons in the top of the tenth, the walk-off seemed in sight again. But with runners on first and second, Easton Hurd couldn’t convert, sending the game deeper into extra innings. 

The sun had fully set, and the concession stand ran low on food—this marathon matchup was running on fumes. 

The A’s loaded the bases on an intentional walk, then punched a single up the middle to take the lead. Three straight strikeouts from the Ribbons left them on the hot seat. If they didn’t score now, the game—and their win streak—would be over. 

And in true Blue Ribbon fashion, the drama didn’t disappoint. Kohnle led off the bottom of the inning with a triple that glued every eye in the crowd to the field. Every pitch felt like a dagger. But after just 13 more pitches and three consecutive strikeouts, the comeback fell short. 

Final score: Sheboygan Athletics 6, Blue Ribbons 5.