August 2026

MAZOMANIE — Any time that local communities Black Earth and Mazomanie face off, bragging rights are on the line.

When fourth-seeded Mazomanie hosted fifth-seeded Black Earth in the first round of the Home Talent League’s Northern Section baseball playoffs on Aug. 2, though, it was also ‘win or go home’ time.

“A lot of us have grown up playing baseball together our whole lives,” Black Earth catcher Danny Watkins said. “Seeing them across the field, it’s a big game.

“We play good baseball. We beat Middleton this year. We can beat anyone.”

The visiting Bombers proved just that, jumping out to an early lead, then rallying to escape with a thrilling 7-5 victory over the host Mustangs at Lions Park to advance to Sunday’s semifinal round.

Black Earth (7-7) will play at third-seed Ashton (12-2) in search of its first appearance in the championship playoff round since 2014.

Cross Plains’ Home Talent League team surprised host Wisconsin Dells in the opening round of the playoffs on Aug 2.

Devine Romine threw seven strong innings and Bryce Duhr drove in a pair of runs to power the seventh-seeded Businessmen past second-seeded Wisconsin Dells.

Cross Plains will now travel to top-seeded Middleton for a Northern Section semifinal game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Romine allowed three runs in seven innings and earned the win. Dan Karnick hurled two scoreless innings to notch the save.

Cross Plains broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run seventh inning and surged to a 4-1 lead. Dells answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Businessmen added an insurance run in the top of ninth and held on.

Will Doherty went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Hunter Schram was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Porter Blaha went 2-for-4 and scored a run, and Kyle Pape scored a pair of runs.