The West Bend Thunder 6th Grade improved to 2-0 with an impressive victory over a talented Oconomowoc 5 O's team 7-4 on Wednesday night in Oconomowoc.  Pitching and defense have been the point of emphasis and once again, the pitching and defense led the way.  Some outstanding late inning situational hitting didn't hurt either.  The visiting Thunder scored in the first inning as Joey Pettit led off with a booming double to left field.  C.J. Henschel struck out with Pettit stealing third and when the ball got passed the catcher, Pettit raced around and came all the way in to score with Henschel reaching first on the play.  After a steal of second and a passed ball put Henschel at third, Noah Doedens continued his impressive start to the year at the plate with a double to left center to plate Henschel and give the Thunder a 2-0 lead.  The 5 O's came right back with 2 unearned runs of their own in the bottom of the first and scored again in the 2nd for a 3-2 5 O's lead.  Another Pettit hit, and a bases loaded walk to Gavin Hinckley in the top of the 3rd, tied the game at 3-3.

Some outstanding pitching by Pettit kept the game tied until the 5th.  With Hinckley taking over on the mound, the 5 O's managed to get 2 hits to take a 4-3 lead.  Outstanding Thunder defense stopped the rally there to keep the game close.  From there, the Thunder used a huge 6th inning to take the lead.  Hinckley and Doedens singled to lead off the 6th, and when Kevin Lemens placed a bunt right on the first base chalk line for a single, the bases were loaded.  Caden Bast delievered the key blow, singling in 2 runs to allow the Thunder to retake the lead at 5-4.  Needing some insurance runs, the Thunder turned to Christian Ketter to perform a little trickery.  With two strikes, Ketter was called on to put down a bunt.  Ketter was up to the tremendous challenge and his bunt not only scored Lemens but also the super speedy Henschel, the courtesy runner for the catcher Bast, all the way from 2nd.  Now up 7-4, Hinckley shut the 5 O's down from there for a 7-4 victory.

The Thunder, now 2-0 in the State League, play again Friday with a double header this Friday at the West Bend Little League Complex vs. Sheboygan.  Game times are 5:30 and 7:30.  Come on out for some great Thunder baseball action.