APPLETON (NBC 26) — The 2025 Seymour baseball team already had a historic season coming into this week, being the first team in program history to make it to the state tournament.
They would also become the first team in program history to bring home some hardware. It might not have been the hardware they wanted as the No. 3 Thunder fell to No. 1 New Berlin Eisenhower 5-4 on Thursday in the Division 2 state title game.
"Historic season," said Thunder head coach Curt Jefson. "Just about a storybook game and there's so much pride and appreciation for this team. They deserved to put something in the trophy case and be the first and they put a special mark on my heart."
Both teams traded four running innings, the Lions scored 4 in the bottom of the third and the Thunder immediately answered with 4 in the top of the fourth.
"We didn't flinch and we kept battling," said Jefson.
Neither team would score until the bottom of the seventh. With a man one first, Lions pitcher Sam Hirthe lined a double to left that was just out of the reach of the Seymour outfielder and the ball rolled past him far enough to allow the runner from first to come home.
But the Thunder are proud of all they accomplished this season.
"Just being here playing on this field, it's best thing ever to be out here doing this for the first time ever," said senior Colten Nieland.
