The sixth-ranked Pacelli High School baseball team will
host a WIAA Division 3 Sectional at Bukolt Park Tuesday, June 7, with the
winner to advance to the WIAA Division 3 State Tournament.

The Cardinals (26-2) will face 14th-ranked Marathon in
a WIAA Division 3 Sectional Semifinal at noon Tuesday, June 7, with the winner
to take on either top-ranked Coleman or second-ranked Menasha Saint Mary
Catholic in the Sectional Final at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Top-seeded Pacelli opened the postseason with a 3-0
win over fourth-seeded Weyauwega-Fremont 3-0 in a WIAA Division 3 Regional
Semifinal at Bukolt Park Tuesday, May 31, as senior Chris Shibilski struck out
eight in a complete-game, one-hit shutout.

The Cardinals were back at Bukolt Park Wednesday, June
1, to host second-seeded Amherst (15-10) in a Regional Final.

Pacelli struck first, as senior pitcher
Matt Helms had a RBI single in the bottom of the first inning to score freshman
second baseman Nate Helms and give the team a 1-0 lead.

Amherst used RBI singles from sophomore left fielder Carter
Zblewski and sophomore right fielder Marcus Glodowski in the top of the second
inning to take a 2-1 lead, which it remained until the bottom of the third when
Shibilski reached on an error to lead off the inning and scored on a RBI single
from Matt Helms to tie the game at 2-2.

Amherst rallied in the top of the fourth, as sophomore second
baseman Sawyer Eiden and senior center fielder Ben Gutschow each had singles to
put runners on second and third with one out. Glodowski followed with a RBI
groundout to score Eiden and make it 3-2, and sophomore shortstop David Rieck
had an infield single to score Gutschow and increase the lead to 4-2.

Pacelli junior shortstop Andy Tepp led off the bottom of the fifth
inning with a walk and came around to score on an error to cut the team’s
deficit to 4-3. The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the
sixth, but with one out they had a runner thrown out at home plate trying to
score from third on a single to shallow left-center field.

Amherst carried its 4-3 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning,
where Matt Helms had an infield single, senior catcher Cal Hintz was hit by a
pitch and junior third baseman Jake Thomas reached on a fielder’s choice
groundout to put runners on the corners with one out.

After pinch runner sophomore Daniel Mitch stole second base, senior
first baseman Chris Karch was intentionally walked to load the bases with one
out for junior center fielder Ethan Jansch.

Jansch hit a line drive that the Amherst third baseman was unable
to haul in, and when he threw home to try and get Matt Helms on the force play,
the ball went past the catcher to the backstop to allow Matt Helms to score
with the tying run and Mitch to come around and score from second base to give
Pacelli a 5-4 win.

Matt Helms had three hits and two RBI at the plate and also turned
in a complete-game performance in the win, while Nate Helms added two hits.

Amherst senior pitcher Tanner Hansen allowed two earned runs on six
hits in 6 and 1/3 innings in the loss. Glodowski finished with two hits and two
RBI, and Gutschow had two hits for Amherst, which had four runs on 10 hits and
committed six errors.

Pacelli will take on Marathon at noon in the first Sectional
Semifinal at Bukolt Park Tuesday, after top-seeded Marathon won 6-0 at home
over third-seeded Stratford in its Regional Final Wednesday.

The two teams will meet in the postseason for the
third year in a row, after Marathon beat Pacelli 1-0 in the Sectional
Semifinals in Marathon last season on its way to the Division 3 State
Semifinals, while the Cardinals won at Marathon 4-2 in 11 innings in the 2014
Regional Semifinals.

The No. 1- and No. 2- ranked teams in Division 3 will square
off in the other Sectional Semifinal at Bukolt Park at 3 p.m., after top-ranked
and top-seeded Coleman beat third-seeded Crandon 15-3 in five innings in the Regional
Finals Wednesday and second-ranked and top-seeded Saint Mary Catholic Central
beat third-seeded Brillion 8-4 in eight innings in the Regional Finals
Wednesday.

The Sectional Final will follow at 6 p.m. Tuesday,
with the winner to advance to the WIAA Division 3 State Semifinals at Fox Cities
Stadium in Appleton Wednesday, June 15.