Onalaska's American Legion baseball stretched its winning streak to 13 games Tuesday with regionals beginning in less than a week.
The 13th win in the streak was a 12-7 decision at Viroqua. Brandon Rude hit three-run home runs in consecutive at-bats in the fifth and seventh, while pitching the first four innings to earn the win on the mound.
Andy Mills pitched the final three innings, allowing five runs, while adding a triple offensively. Kyle Stewart lined a double for Onalaska (20-3).
The Legion stretched the streak to 12 games by winning its five-team, round-robin, home tournament last weekend. Included in the wins were a 7-6 win over Prairie du Chien Friday in which Onalaska scored four times in the bottom of the seventh and a 2-1 win over Milton Saturday in which Jordan Guth retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced in a complete-game win.
Tyler Adams, less than two weeks removed from his return from a broken pinkie sustained May 27, paced the Legion offense in the tournament, hitting .583. Stewart hit .444 with three RBIs, but also had a slugging percentage of .888 and an on-base percentage of .643.
“Tyler continued to work hard when he was hurt,” Onalaska head coach Zeb Allert said. “He did a lot of bunting and running, and stayed in peak, physical shape.”
The Legion clinched the tournament championship with a 4-0 win over the La Crosse Aquasox Sunday. Mills earned a complete-game win, retiring 17 of the final 18 hitters he faced. Jerry Rank had two hits, including a double, while Nick Dziedzic also lined a double.
Onalaska's other win in the tournament was an 8-0 decision over Wisconsin Rapids in the unofficial championship game. Rude earned a complete-game win, including recording three of his nine strikeouts against the final four hitters he faced.
Stewart had two hits, six total bases and three RBIs. Adams tallied four hits.
The eighth win in the streak came July 9, a 9-8 decision over Westby. The Legion rallied from a 7-3 deficit after 5 1/2 innings.
The Class AA regional begins Thursday at Holmen, with Onalaska playing Reedsburg at 3:30 p.m. in its opening game. Reedsburg finished third behind Holmen and the Legion at last year's regional, though Holmen appears to have fallen off the most of the three from a year ago, standing at 9-14 entering tonight's game with Westby.
“I'm very happy with where we're at going into the regional,” Allert said. “We're having a good season and we won our own tourney, but at the same time, we weren't too happy.
“Sometimes teams on a winning streak can stub their toe when the regional comes around, but I don't sense that with this group. We're happy right now, but not too happy.”
Other opening round regional games include Sauk Prairie and Baraboo at 1 p.m. Thursday at Holmen, along with Holmen and Richland Center at 6 p.m. Thursday at Holmen.
Stewart selected for Legion all-star game
Kyle Stewart, a 2008 Onalaska High School graduate, has been selected to play in the the 37th annual Wisconsin American Legion Baseball all-star game Aug. 10. The game will be played following the Milwaukee Brewers-Washington Nationals 1:05 p.m. game at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
Stewart will be introduced in pre-game ceremonies 35 minutes before the game, along with being honored at a banquet Aug. 9 and brunch Aug. 10 in West Allis.
The selection of Stewart marks the 11th time in the past 12 seasons in which a player from Onalaska has been selected to play in the game. Ryan Malak and Brennan Mulroy were selected to play in the game in 1997 and 1998, respectively. Duke Cunningham played in the game in 1999, drawing a four-pitch walk in his lone plate appearance while catching three innings.
Ben LaFleur, played in the game in 2000, recording a hit in his lone plate appearance while playing three innings at first base. Kodi Kaiser was the Most Valuable Player in the game in 2001, striking out five of the seven batters he faced in a two-inning pitching stint.
Steve Dus struck out in his lone plate appearance in 2003. Chad Benz struck out swinging in his lone plate appearance in 2004.
Luke Zurbriggen pitched an inning, struck out swinging in his lone plate appearance and successfully handled three defensive chances in 2005, including a pop up near the third-base dugout. Bryant Rude pitched in the 2006 game. Andy Mills played in last year's game.
Milwaukee is the only major league city to sponsor a game of this nature. Players are nominated from the more than 190 teams playing Legion ball throughout Wisconsin. Stewart, a four-year varsity player, has played primarily pitcher, first base, third base and as a corner outfielder for Onalaska.

