July 15, 2015 at 3:04 p.m.
Hodag Little Leaguers downed in extra innings
Hodag Little Leaguers downed in extra innings
Wausau American sent 18 batters to the plate in the seventh inning - including nine before the first out was recorded. They collected 11 hits in the decisive frame.
Rhinelander led most of the way behind pitcher Ryan Jamison, but Wausau tied things up with two runs in the top of the fifth and the Hodags were unable to scratch across the go-ahead run in the final two innings of regulation.
Jamison got off to a rocky start, walking leadoff batter Keegan Jirschele in the top of the first. He then surrendered a long two-run homer to left by Landon Parlier before settling in and striking out the next three batters.
The Hodags answered with three runs in the home half of the first. Jamison drove in Evan Sedlacek on a ground ball that got past the second baseman. Kolby Ridderbusch then doubled home Layne Roeser and Jamison.
Rhinelander tacked on another run in the third as Roeser doubled and scored on a two-bagger by Jamison.
American drew even with a two-out rally in the fifth as Jirschele hit a solo homer to left. Parlier followed with a smash to third for a base hit, went to second on a passed ball and scored on a Blake Nichols single to left. Jamison reached the 75-pitch maximum while facing Eli Gustafson. Sam Schneider inherited a 2-1 count and threw back-to-back strikes to get the Hodags out of the inning.
Rhinelander had plenty of chances to push across another run in regulation, but was unable to do so. Ridderbusch got to third with one out in the first, but was unable to score following a Max Ratty strikeout and a Mason Davis grounder. Cal Laggis was thrown out at the plate to end the second trying to score on a Sedlacek grounder. Jamison was left stranded on third in the third as Leo Losch struck out. Roeser grounded out to end the fourth with runners at the corners. Jamison was thrown out trying to steal third, ending the fifth inning and Losch - pinch running for Davis who walked - was left standing on second in the sixth when A.J. Turek popped out.
Sedlacek scored for the Hodags in the seventh. He reached on an error, took second and third on wild pitches and scored on a Roeser grounder. But the hole the Hodags' dug for themselves in the top of the seventh proved to be too much to overcome as the game stretched into the 10 o'clock hour. The contest started 1 hour, 3 minutes behind schedule as the game prior to it, a 12-4 victory for Northwoods over Merrill, ran long.
Jamison went 4 2/3 innings for the Hodags in a no decision. He allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out nine. Schneider struck out three in an inning and a third. He faced the first five batters of the seventh and took the loss. Davis and Roeser also pitched for the Hodags in the seventh.
Rhinelander collected eight hits in the contest. Sedlacek went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, Ridderbusch was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Jamison was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Roeser scored twice on a hit and a walk. Laggis and Will Gretzinger also recorded hits.
The Hodags faces Northwoods at 6 p.m. Wednesday in an elimination game. The winner of that game gets American on Thursday, needing to win to force a winner-take-all championship game Friday. All remaining games in the District 5 tournament will be played at Doepke Park.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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