Two Panthers Pitchers Combine for 10-Inning, 1-Hit Shutout in Regional

Getting seven shutout innings from a high school pitching staff is no easy task.

Ten blank frames? About as rare as it gets.

But that’s exactly what the Greendale Panthers baseball team received from Zach Henderson and Ty Ramirez, who combined for 15 strikeouts and allowed just one hit in a 1-0 win over West Allis Central in a WIAA regional semifinal Tuesday.

Mitchell Brees delivered a run-scoring hit in the bottom of the 10th inning at The Rock Sports Complex in Franklin to send Greendale to a regional final at New Berlin West on Friday.

But the work on the hill made the difference.

“Our pitching depth prevailed,” said Greendale coach Brian Johnsen, whose team improved to 13-14. “The key was our depth on the mound.”

Henderson started and struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings. Ramirez picked up the win with 3 2/3 shutout frames down the stretch.

They were matched nearly pitch-for-pitch by Central’s Mike Manlick, who struck out six in eight innings before being lifted for a reliever.

“Manlick was outstanding, throwing three different pitches for a strike at anytime, making him very difficult to hit,” Johnsen said.

Brees’s hit ended the scoreless showdown.

“In that type of game where one hit makes the difference, I was happy Brees came through,” Johnsen said. “His experience being a three-sport athlete showed in that clutch situation. Very proud of him and our team.”

The seventh-seeded Panthers and second-seeded New Berlin West Vikings (20-5) will square off at 5 p.m. Friday with a trip to next Monday’s sectional at Whitnall High School on the line. The Panthers lost twice to the Vikings during the conference season.