Dubuque Wahlert, the top seed in the Class 3A baseball tournament, fought back from a two‑run deficit to pull off a 9‑8 thriller over Knoxville, securing a spot in the semifinals.
A rally built on grit and a timely hit
The match began with Knoxville striking first, capitalizing on five Wahlert miscues to take a 1‑0 lead before extending it to 4‑3. Kyler Gifford’s three‑run homer in the fourth pushed the visitors ahead 7‑4, but the home team refused to fold.
A wild pitch in the fifth plated a run, narrowing the gap, and the momentum shifted dramatically in the sixth when Graham Ahlers delivered a two‑run double that tied the game. Ahlers then took the mound, shutting down the opposition to seal the victory.
With the win, Wahlert will meet its semifinal opponent on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., a showdown that promises another chapter in the team’s storied postseason run.