APPLETON — The Kaukauna Ghosts will play for the Division 1 state championship after defeating Nicolet 7-1 on Wednesday morning in a state semifinal match that was moved from Fox Cities Stadium to Appleton North High School due to weather.
The Ghosts, making their first state tournament appearance in 72 years, will now try to win their first title in 73 years.
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"It's amazing," Kaukauna head coach Mike Jenkins said. "It was a goal set before the year — not one of those that we sit there and advertise and broadcast, but a team that we definitely felt like could get us to this point, and they've really shown that here."
The Ghosts never trailed after taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Their offense broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs to extend the lead to 6-1. Junior Brayden Jenkins and senior Kayden Kress each drove in two runs in the victory.
That run support was more than enough for senior pitcher Bron Schaefer. Following a strong performance by fellow pitcher Carson Gates in the state quarterfinals, Schaefer delivered his own gem on the mound.
"Bron doing Bron things," Mike Jenkins said. "He's our energy. We go behind him. He's the guy that closed out the sectional for us and the guy that's sending us to state, and he pitched exactly how we wanted. He battled every guy, really commanded things, and put us on his back and did the job. It was fantastic."
In his final career appearance for the Ghosts, Schaefer pitched a complete game, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out eight Nicolet batters. He also contributed at the plate, collecting two hits and scoring a run.
"Nicolet came out and they were posting all over their Instagram that they shocked the world because they beat the 2-seed (Milton), but I mean, shocking the world is winning more than one game," Schaefer said. "The Cinderella story isn't written in one game. They came here thinking they were going to walk in and win the game after they shocked the world yesterday, and that's just not what happened."
Now the Ghosts wait to see if they play Madison Memorial or Muskego for the title on Thursday night at 6 p.m.
