Pirates sink Tritons 4-0 behind dominant pitching

HOWARD — A dominant pitching performance and timely hitting lifted Bay Port (6-1) to a 4-0 early-season win over Notre Dame Academy (4-3).

Bay Port’s Parker Lawson set the tone on the mound, throwing a complete game while allowing just three hits and striking out seven batters. The UW-Oshkosh commit kept Notre Dame off balance all night, preventing any offensive rhythm from developing.

The Pirates, currently ranked No. 3 in Division 1, backed him up with disciplined at-bats and aggressive baserunning, doing enough offensively to secure the victory.

“Definitely our pitching,” Bay Port junior Josh Kleemann said. “I mean, Parker Lawson, he’s been on varsity for four years now, and this kid, he’s just great at what he does.” 

Bay Port broke through in the bottom of the second inning, when Kleemann scored the game’s first run following a double from Cayden Heier. The early lead gave the Pirates momentum and allowed Lawson to be more aggressive on the mound.

The Pirates extended the lead in the third inning even further. After working his way on base, Bay Port junior Carson Hawley scored on a walk that pushed Bay Port’s lead to two. Later in the inning, Kleemann crossed the plate once more, driven in on a deep ball to center field that resulted in a sacrifice out but another run nonetheless.

Head coach Harvey Knutson said those small, situational plays made the difference.

“People always remember the big hits and things like that, but tonight it was the little things,” Knutson said. “Whether it’s a walk, a sac fly, a good defensive play… just really the little things and, of course, Parker’s performance on the mound.”

In the sixth inning, Kleemenn added his third run of the night after reaching base and advancing with aggressive baserunning, eventually scoring to give Bay Port a 4-0 cushion. His ability to get on base and create scoring opportunities proved to be a key difference in the game.

Notre Dame showed resilience throughout the game, competing well against one of the top teams in Division 1. The Tritons put together quality at-bats and had moments where they threatened offensively, but struggled to capitalize against strong pitching. 

Defensively, they made key plays to stay within reach early and kept the game competitive through the middle innings. While the result didn’t go their way, Notre Dame showed signs of a team capable of building momentum as the season progresses.

Bay Port finished with six hits as a team, with Heier leading the way with two hits and two RBIs. Artie Adams and Carson Hawley also contributed offensively as the Pirates consistently put pressure on Notre Dame’s pitching.

Beyond the stat sheet, Kleemann pointed to the team’s energy as a driving factor.

“It really takes place in the dugout,” he said. “If our dugout was not popping every game, it’s a completely different story every time. So we’ve got to make sure the dugout’s live.”

That energy has been building since before the season began.

“It really started in the offseason,” Knutson said. “This group started with some optional workouts and really started to come together… and just really came together as a team.”

Defensively, Bay Port backed Lawson with steady play, committing just one error while limiting Notre Dame’s chances to generate offense.

With the win, the Pirates continue to build momentum early in the season, showing why they are among the top teams in Division 1.

Looking ahead, the focus remains consistent.

“It’s just that mindset we have going into every game,” Kleemann said. “Doing what we do best… the dugout and just the energy throughout the team.”

Both teams return to action later this week, with Bay Port set to face Escanaba on Thursday, while Notre Dame Academy will take on Ashwaubenon on Friday.