July 12, 2011 at 10:31 a.m.
Rebels split at Merrill Invite
Come-from-behind victory against Merrill fuels Rhinelander
Rebels split at Merrill Invite
By Jonathan Bailey-
Having already lost five consecutive contests, including the first two of the Merrill Invitational, the Rebels found themselves trailing by three runs with three outs remaining. But behind some patient at-bats, a Merrill error, timely hitting and a clutch two-out, go-ahead, three-run home run by Kyle Comer, Rhinelander got a renewed sense of life.
Life that it parlayed into a Merrill Invitational concluding 12-1 five-inning win a day later over Rothschild-Schofield-Weston (RSW) Post 492. The Rebels, who hope that the come-from-behind victory against Merrill is the turning point of the season, went 2-2 in the invite.
They lost to Holman 9-2 Friday and Manitowoc 3-2 Saturday afternoon, before rallying for a 15-13 victory against Merrill in the nightcap.
"We gained confidence (Saturday) night," Rebels' manager Dan Huhnstock said. "Actually starting with the Manitowoc game, even though we lost that in a close contest, the bats were coming alive. We had a lot hits. We left a lot of runners on base but we were making some loud outs ... The ball was starting to jump off the bats for us pretty good and obviously it carried through with a bunch of runs against Merrill and a bunch of runs (Sunday) against RSW."
Rhinelander got its weekend started in Merrill on Friday night, facing Holman, a team that it defeated 7-3 at the state tournament last year. Entering the bottom of the third inning the game was still scoreless, but four Rhinelander errors in the following two innings allowed Holman to take a 4-0 lead that it wouldn't relinquish.
Rebels' starter Troy White (2-2) allowed only the four unearned runs until running into trouble in the sixth inning. Holman collected five hits and five runs in the bottom of the frame, doing much of its damage with two-outs. Rhinelander got on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the seventh for the final of 9-2. The Rebels outhit Holmen 10-6.
"The Holmen team is a real well-versed ball team," Huhnstock said. "They play real solid ball and they capitalize on any mistakes you make. They're real well coached and disciplined. Obviously our game didn't go real well against them. We kicked the ball around a little bit, but we can play with them. We know that and hopefully we'll get a chance down in Tomah (at the state tournament)."
The Rebels fell behind early a day later against Manitowoc, allowing a first inning sacrifice fly and an RBI double in the third. Lucas Michlig broke up Manitowoc's Eli Steimle's no-hit bid in the bottom of the third inning and Rhinelander got two walks in the inning, but stranded the bases loaded, something it did again in the fourth.
Still trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, the Rebels got a back-to-back doubles from Ryan Morris and Micah Baumgartner to cut the deficit to one. In the sixth, Comer scored Michlig on a sacrifice fly to knot the game at two apiece.
The game wasn't tied for long, however, as Manitowoc got a go-ahead, two-out, RBI double from Steimle in the seventh. In Rhinelander's half of the inning, Brandyn Dahlquist doubled with two outs, but was stranded there when Michlig flew out to right to end the game.
Dan Kellen (1-2) picked up the loss, allowing three runs, all earned, in seven innings. He gave up six hits, struck out six, walked four and hit three batters. For the second straight game, Rhinelander outhit its opponent, this time 7-6. It stranded 13 runners on base.
Less than six hours later, the Rebels were back at it, taking on regional and conference foe Merrill. Kellen gave Rhinelander its first lead in the invitational in the first inning, doubling home Nate Schmidt.
The advantage wouldn't last though as Merrill answered with one in the bottom of the inning, another in the second and five unearned runs in the third for a 7-1 lead. Rhinelander's offense got going in the top of the fourth, tying the game up at seven with a six-run inning.
Five of those runs came with two outs as Schmidt singled home a pair and Kellen blasted a three-run shot. Catcher Joe Zuiker, who missed a couple of games after getting hit in the face with a pitch two weeks ago and was 0-10 since his return, also had an RBI single in the inning.
The Rebels reclaimed the lead in the fifth inning with a single run, but Merrill again answered, scoring three of its own. Rhinelander got one back in the sixth, before Merrill got a pair to push the deficit to three at 12-9.
In the seventh inning, Zuiker and Dahlquist drew back-to-back one-out walks to give the Rebels a pulse. Michlig reached on an error, allowing Zuiker to score. Schmidt singled in Dahlquist to cut the deficit to 12-11, but an Alex Henkel fly out brought the Rebels down to their final out.
A balk call on Merrill's Dylan Burkam with Kellen at the plate allowed Michlig to score the tying run. Following a walk to Kellen, Comer stepped to the plate and blasted a go-ahead three-run shot to give Rhinelander the 15-12 lead.
Michlig (1-0), who hadn't pitched this season in either high school or legion ball, allowed Merrill to claw back within two and bring the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the inning, but he got Burkam to fly out to end the threat. Michlig pitched two innings in relief of Comer, who allowed 10 runs, five earned, on 13 hits.
Rhinelander's offense picked up where it left off Saturday in Sunday's finale against RSW, a team it lost to 5-4 earlier in the week. The Rebels brought 14 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning, collecting eight runs on nine hits, including another three-run blast by Comer.
"Guys came in focused, it was warm out and they said before the game 'let's put up a bunch of runs and let's see if we can get out of here quick,'" Huhnstock said following the RSW game.
From there, the Rebels were on cruise control, scoring single runs in the second, third and fifth to push the advantage to the needed 10 runs to end the game after five innings. Schmidt (3-1), who picked up the loss in the game against RSW earlier in the week, got revenge, allowing only one run. He gave up only six hits, struck out a pair, and hit and walked one.
The Rebels will look to ride their recent momentum when they host a twin bill against Marshfield today and travel to Stevens Point for a doubleheader Thursday.
"I think we're back on track now," Huhnstock said. "We have a lot of work to do. This week we have a couple of tough opponents for doubleheaders with Marshfield and Stevens Point. It will be a good test if we have turned the corner or not."
Today's first pitch at Stafford Field against Marshfield is slated for 5:30 p.m. It will be sponsor appreciation night at the park as all Hodag Diamond Club supporters are invited to attend.
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