It was not the team’s prettiest game of the year, but Spring Valley got the job done to open the playoffs, beating Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran at home 3-2 May 29.

“We played really good defense. Guys were communicating well,” Head Coach Brandon Walczak said. “Will Biggs pitched really well on the mound. Controlled the zone, had control over his fastball and curveball.”

Senior Cade Stasiek started the bottom of the first with a walk for the Cardinals, going on to steal second and move to third on a passed ball. Trevor Forster grounded one to third to bring him in on a botched reception. Senior Caleb Bartko crushed a double off the centerfield wall to get a 2-0 lead. In the playoffs, the top of the order producing in the first inning was exactly what the doctor ordered.

“I think it’s huge. Obviously, our lineup is kind of built to get those guys on base and get them over,” Walczak said. “Once you get in a hole or you’re down by a couple runs, you’ve got to press a little bit more.”

Pitcher Will Bigs was deep in his bag on the mound. He pitched six shutout innings before being taken out for pitch count reasons.

Stasiek came in to pitch in the seventh, swiftly finding himself in a bases-loaded jam with no outs. Immanuel Lutheran singled to score the team’s first run, prompting Walczak to bring in sophomore Braden Gregg. Walczak praised Gregg for the consistency he has brought to the table, and he shut the door to close the opening round game.

Walczak mentioned Biggs was challenging hitters with strikes all night long, and the defense had his back out there. Offensively, they got into hitters’ counts, but could not get the rally-starting hits. Three notable baserunning blunders of getting picked off, caught stealing and miscounting how many outs there were in an inning all contributed to killed rallies.

With a senior class that has been through massively important games during the football and basketball seasons, Walczak has full faith that the team will never let the moment get too big.
“I think it just gives me and their teammates more confidence knowing they’ve been through the high stress situations,” Walczak said. “They don’t make the moment bigger than it has to be.”

The Spring Valley pitching and defense has been rolling. Now, with a game at 15-1 Loyal on June 3, the offense will need to find itself.

“The biggest thing for us is going to be trying to facilitate more runs,” Walczak said. “When it’s two strikes, we’ve got to change our approach and find a way to put a ball in play.”