The 1955 Bluejay baseball team was the first Merrill High baseball team to play in the state tournament. It was played at Menasha. Merrill lost a tough game to Cuba City, 3-2. Cuba City lost to Watertown for the state championship. Oh, so close we came. I played on this team as a senior.
My grandson, Jared Rothmeyer, played on the last Bluejay team to reach state, at Appleton. The lost just 2-1 in a game they could have won. Zack Wendorf gave up just two hits, all in one inning, and two errors gave (Bay Port) the two runs.
Cuba City scored first in the 1955 state tournament game, on an error, a wild pitch and single in the first inning. Les Smith, and Hendricks hooked up in a pitchers’ duel. The Jays finally scored in the fifth on a walk to Ernie Koprek, a single by Dave Smith and Koprek slid into third but hurt his ankle. Jerry Krueger replaced him. Les Smith was safe on an error by Axtell, allowing Krueger to score the tying run.
In the top of the sixth, Axtell hit a home run with a man on for a 3-1 lead. Coach Forrest Perkins brought in Tom Hanson to pitch, and he stopped their rally with two strike-outs.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rothmeyer doubled against the center field fence, and Bob “Skip’ Ott singled him home for a 3-2 score. An error, the third by Cuba City, put runners on second and third. D. Smith fanned to end the threat. Final score 3-2.
(Merrill was out-hit 5-4, and left six on base to three for Cuba City. L. Smith had Merrill’s other hit. Cuba City’s J. Pickel and Axtell each went 2-for-3 with a run scored.)