Seventh inning rally gives Muskego GMC tourney title over OC, 5-2
In the minds of the Muskego baseball team it was no time to panic.
Even though Oak Creek ace Brad Schulte had set down 13 Warriors in a row Friday night and went into the seventh inning of the Greater Metro Conference tourney championship game with a 2-1 lead, Muskego coach Jacob Paige and eventual winning pitcher Josh Breider knew all the team needed was a little spark.
And they got it with seventh inning lead-off hitter Nate Hammel, who coaxed a sharp grounder just inside the third base line for a double. That kickstart led to a four-hit, four-run rally that allowed the visiting Warriors to claim the GMC tourney title with a 5-2 victory over the Knights.
"We had no doubts," said Breider, who threw six innings for the win and also had a two-run single to knock in a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. "We knew we could get one run. We just needed a baserunner."
"After that it was just a matter of holding our composure, trusting our defense and making plays."
» Read Full ArticleMeijer plan creates sharp divide in opinion
Where supporters of a Franklin Meijer store see an opportunity for expanded tax base, local job creation and a new place to shop, opponents see the loss of wetlands, more traffic and a store too large to fit the city's neighborhood feel.
The Franklin Plan Commission drew a full house Thursday as it met to consider a proposal to build a Meijer grocery and department store at the eastern corner of Loomis and St. Martin's roads.
And though Mayor Tom Taylor decreed in advance that the matter would be put off until the next meeting, that didn't stop a presentation and public comment period that lasted close to two hours and illuminated sharp schisms in public sentiment.
More than two dozen members of the public spoke, and their comments were almost evenly divided between support for the project and opposition.
"I'm in support of this," Sara Nowacki said. "I think Franklin needs more retail right now."
» Read Full ArticleOak Creek earns berth in GMC tourney final with 6-2 win over Franklin
The Oak Creek baseball team has won the last two Greater Metro Conference regular season titles only to see someone else pull out the league tournament crown.
Now the Knights have a chance to reverse those fortunes as they rode the strong arm of freshman pitcher Mitch Makarewicz and some opportunistic play to defeat archrival Franklin, 6-2, in a GMC tourney semifinal Thursday night held at a sweltering Abendschein Park.
"I've always thought that the regular season tells the true tale of the tape," said Knight coach Scott Holler, "but they've put this opportunity (the tournament) in front of us the last few years. ...We haven't been able to win it since, but maybe we'll win it this time around."
The Knights will (22-6) will get that opportunity Friday night back at Abendschein at 5:30 p.m. against Muskego (19-10) which upset regular season champ Menomonee Falls, 6-3, Thursday night.
The two teams split their regular season games, with the Warriors taking the first contest, 8-2, and Oak Creek the second round, 8-3.
» Read Full ArticleFireworks halted in Oak Creek, Waukesha
While some fireworks displays were canceled Wednesday night because of hot and dry conditions, a couple of communities were forced to stop their fireworks in the middle of the shows because of grass fires.
In Oak Creek, fireworks were stopped when a grass fire erupted in the 1200 block of E. Ryan Road.
And in Waukesha, the display was halted shortly before 10 p.m. because of fires from falling embers and sparks that landed on the grounds of Crites Field, said a police dispatcher.
No injuries were reported.
Marcher in Cudahy parade injured when participating driver strikes him
Two men participating in the Cudahy Fourth of July parade Wednesday were injured when the driver of a car in the parade struck a man in front of him who was carrying a flag, Cudahy police said Wednesday.
The driver of the car, a member of the VFW, suffered a medical emergency - possibly heat stroke - lost consciousness and ran into the man walking in front of him, police said.
Members of the Cudahy Fire Department were marching in the parade behind the driver and immediately began to assist the two men, police said. One television station reported the driver was 90 years old, but police could not immediately confirm that.
Police said the driver of the car was taken to Aurora St. Luke's South Shore hospital.
The pedestrian was taken to Froedtert Hospital, she said. The conditions of the two men were not available.
» Read Full ArticleIndependence Day photo gallery updated
We've just updated our suburban Independence Day photo gallery with colorful shots from today's events in Oak Creek and yesterday's parade in Menomonee Falls.
We'll continue to update the gallery throughout the day with more images from the metropolitan area.
Chill on the Hill canceled tonight
Due to extreme heat, the Bay View Neighborhood Association has canceled Chill on the Hill at Humboldt Park tonight.
Hales Corners, Greendale and Greenfield
Hales Corners Fire Chief Michael Jankowski, Greendale Fire Chief Tim Saidler and Greenfield Fire Chief Jon Cohn have all issued immediate bans on burning and the use of all fireworks, including sparklers and caps. These bans are the result of severe drought conditions. As such, burning and the use of fireworks would constitute a public nuisance affecting safety.
This ban includes fires in all outdoor fireplaces, pits, camp fires and the private use of consumer fireworks including sparklers, caps and novelty fireworks. In order to prevent fires, the community's police departments will strictly enforce these restrictions, they said.
Violators of this ban and adults who permit the use of any kind of fireworks, including caps and sparklers, or burning by minors will receive citations. This ban does not prohibit residents from using contained grills for cooking food. The ban will remain in place until further notice in all these communities.
Woman injured in one-car crash; man arrested for drunken driving
An alleged drunken driver is facing charges after a passenger in his car was seriously injured during a one-vehicle accident on Rawson Avenue on Saturday.
According to the Oak Creek police report:
The 24-year-old South Milwaukee man was traveling west through the intersection of Rawson and Pennsylvania avenues when he drove onto a median and struck a traffic signal and light pole.
The impact caused the front passenger in his vehicle, a 27-year-old South Milwaukee woman, to be ejected through the car window. She was on the ground outside the vehicle when emergency personnel arrived on the scene.
When police asked the driver what happened, he stated the sun was in his eyes and he got scared and turned the steering wheel of the car, causing the accident.
» Read Full ArticleMunicipalities issue fireworks, burning bans
Several municipalities in southern Milwaukee County issued a temporary ban on fireworks and some burning Tuesday because of severe drought conditions.
Hales Corners, Greendale and Greenfield placed a ban on all outdoor fireplaces, pits, camp fires and private use of fireworks, including caps and sparklers. Franklin's ban on fireworks has been in place since June 15. Contained grills for cooking food is permitted.
Violators will receive public nuisance citations if found lighting fireworks.
Public July 4 fireworks displays are still planned.
West Allis Hale slugger named NOW Softball Player of the Year
West Allis Hale junior Rachel Seefeldt has been named the NOW All-Suburban Softball Player of the Year after slugging her way to 12 home runs and 40 RBIs for the Huskies this season.
She is joined on the squad by teammate Sarah Mueller and players from 10 other suburban teams.
Germantown co-coaches Kurt Raguse and Amy Barbiaux were named the coaches of the year.
Illinois man cited for urinating on police building
A 20-year-old Illinois man who had just been arrested for traffic offenses received an additional citation after an officer caught him urinating on the Police Department building immediately after he was released from custody June 29.
According to Oak Creek police report:
Officers stopped the man after his vehicle crossed the white fog line on 27th Street at Oakwood Road at 10:15 p.m. June 29. The driver provided police with a Mexican ID and did not have a valid driver's license.
The man was arrested for underage drinking, driving without a license and deviating from a designated lane.
He was taken to the police station for processing and released.
» Read Full ArticleCudahy Fourth of July parade steps off at noon
The city of Cudahy's Fourth of July parade starts at noon beginning at Lake Drive and Grange Avenue north to Armour Avenue and Lake Drive.
