Behind another gem from Farley, Post 39 punches ticket to State

GREEN BAY – Championship teams have a way of making the most of their opportunities.
Marinette did exactly that Thursday night, cashing in on a slew of two-out runs in the second inning while Jake Farley baffled De Pere hitters with his knuckleball in a 4-0 victory to capture the American Legion AAA Regional Tournament championship at Bay Port High School.

The win completed a perfect 3-0 run through the regional tournament and punched Marinette’s ticket to the Class AAA State Tournament, which begins Tuesday.

“It takes all three phases to win a regional championship and get to state,” Marinette coach Brian Lesandrini said. “So proud of the team. So proud of the staff. We had that second inning with four runs, all with two outs. That’s how we play all year. We battle, battle, battle, and good things happen.”

De Pere threatened to seize the early momentum.

A leadoff walk and sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the first, but Farley calmly worked out of trouble, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
From there, the right-hander settled into another dominant performance.

Mixing his signature knuckleball with pinpoint command, Farley kept De Pere hitters guessing throughout the night.

He scattered just one hit over 6 2/3 scoreless innings, repeatedly freezing hitters with called third strikes and allowing only one runner to advance as far as third base before reaching his pitch limit with two outs on the board in the seventh.

Levi Hanson entered to record the final strikeout and preserve the shutout.

Offensively, Marinette came to life in the second.

Sawyer Walters worked a full-count walk before Ethan Doubek singled. Farley followed with another walk to load the bases before Hanson ripped a two-out double into left field to score Doubek with the game’s first run.

Teagan Anderson followed with another double, plating Farley and Hanson to stretch the lead to 3-0. After De Pere made a pitching change, Cooper Smith worked a walk before Anderson stole third. Maveric Williamson then lined a single into the outfield to score Anderson with what proved to be the game’s final run.

That proved to be more than enough support for Farley.

He retired the side in order in both the third and fourth innings before working around a pair of late walks. Marinette backed him with steady defense throughout, highlighted by a diving catch in shallow right field that erased a potential extra-base hit in the fifth and a sharp play by Doubek at third in the sixth.

“No runs in regionals,” Lesandrini said. “You’re not going to lose too many games like that.
“They’re clicking at the right time.”