Bluejay Boys Finish Their Season Losing Two in the Regional Playoffs
In a pair of games heard right here on WJMT and wjmtfm.com, the Merrill Post 46 American Legion boys’ baseball team saw their 2026 season come to an end with a pair of walk-off losses in the regional tournament held Friday in Three Lakes. In the first game, the Jays, who were the visitors in both contests, lost 7-6 with two outs in the eighth inning to Medford before succumbing to the Northwoods squad in the nightcap 8-7 with no outs in the bottom of the seventh.
In the first game, starter Cam Wallin was touched up for single tallies in the first three innings before the Bluejays, led by AmericInn Player of the Game Cooper Wendorf, who went 3-4 with a sacrifice fly RBI, scored four times in the top of the sixth. Medford scored a single run in the bottom of the sixth. Merrill went scoreless in the top of the seventh before Wallin gave way to Kory Page, playing in his final Legion games before aging out of the program. Page shut down Medford in the bottom of the seventh before the Bluejays took a 6-4 lead in the top of the eighth. Page, who has not pitched much this season, ran into a tough stretch in the bottom of the eighth, getting two out but loading the bases before Medford’s shortstop cleared the bases with a three RBI double for the win.
The night cap saw the Bluejays get down 5-1 to Northwoods before scoring five runs in the top of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, the Jays gave up the tying run before Brody Klebenow came in to relieve starter Quinton Kurtzhals in the bottom of the seventh. After the first two Northwoods players reached base, Klebenow gave up a single that plated the winning run. In light of the spirited effort of the squad throughout the year, the entire team received the AmericInn Player of the Game honors.
The Post 46 Legion girls’ softball team, which did not play its final regional playoff game Wednesday night after a serious illness affected one of the girls’ relatives, will resume action in the state playoffs this Friday at 2:00 against the squad from Medford at the MARC. Depending upon the outcome of that contest, Merrill will play again at either 8:00 Friday night or noon on Saturday, with tournament play continuing as long as they do not lose two games until the last contest beginning at 2:00 on Sunday. Coverage on WJMT and wjmtfm.com will begin at 1:45 Friday and either 7:45 Friday evening or 11:45 Saturday with the Nicolet Bank pre-game show and the first pitch fifteen minute later.
