June 15, 2015 at 3:52 p.m.
Rebels tripped up in Merrill
Post 7 falls in extras 6-5
Rebels tripped up in Merrill
Justin Pyan had four RBIs and Kyle Cichy delivered a walk-off single in the eighth as Merrill Post 46 rallied to a 6-5 victory at Athletic Park.
The Rebels (1-1) had a 5-3 lead in the game after four innings and had a chance to add insurance runs in the fifth, but Merrill rallied for two in the bottom of the inning and scored the game winner off reliever Brandon Hess with nobody out in the eighth.
"We played a very good ball game," Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. "What really hurt us was the inning where we had runners on second and third with nobody out and didn't push anybody across."
In the top of the fifth Tyler Blomdahl singled and Bradley Comer doubled to give the Rebels a pair of runners in scoring position with nobody out. From there Hess struck out looking and Zach Johnston and Matt Rudolph both bounced into fielders' choices to end the inning. Johnston's grounder was a hard-hit ball to third with the infield drawn in. Blomdahl, stuck between third and home, tried to score and was thrown out easily.
"I felt if we would have been able to push a couple runs across that inning, you know, we probably end this game earlier tonight than going to extra innings," Huhnstock said.
Merrill responded in the bottom of the inning, putting its first two runners on base via a walk and a bunt single. Pyan drove in Trevor Osmundson with a grounder to short and Kennan Stellingworth tied the game with a two-out single to right.
Post 46 threatened in the seventh as Osmundson singled to lead off the inning, but was caught as part of a strike them out, throw them out double play when Troy Pike went down swinging. That proved to be enough to send the game to extra innings. Adam Messerschmidt doubled behind the twin killing and Pyan fouled out to first to end the inning.
"That was real big - otherwise we probably don't make it to extra innings," Huhnstock said of the double play. "They got a guy on right away. It was very good pitcher-catcher combination, a nice throw by Blomdahl down there and nailed him nice."
Trey Stevenson singled to lead off the Merrill eighth, stole second and third, and scored when Cichy lifted the ball to left over a shallow outfield.
Mitch Stockowitz came on in relief for Merrill with one on and one out in the seventh. He retired all five batters he faces, striking out three, to earn the win.
Rhinelander collected nine hits in the contest, including five in a three-run fourth. Nick Spencer started for Rhinelander and pitched seven innings in a no decision. He allowed five runs on seven hits and struck out four.
"Can't fault the guys' effort," Huhnstock said. "Nick pitched a whale of a game. We had some nice hitting by several guys tonight."
Though Spencer walked only three batters, all three were lead off walks and all three eventually scored. Drew Hoff walked to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on a Pyan two-run homer to left. Osmundson walked in the third, stole second and scored on a Pyan sacrifice fly to right center. Osmundson walked again and scored in the fifth.
"Statistics show leadoff walks kill you," Huhnstock said. "Obviously that's not his intention, but sometimes that happens and if you can't erase them with double plays and stuff they will come back and hurt you."
Rhinelander struck first in the contest, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Bryce Young reached on a leadoff error, Kurt Zuiker walked. Both advanced a base on a wild pitch and scored on Comer's single to left.
Hess, Johnston, Rudolph and Scott Sedlacek strung together four consecutive one-out hits in the fourth. Rudolph's single to right plated Hess and Johnston. Spencer added a run-scoring hit later in the inning to give the Rebels a two-run lead.
"We're going to get plenty of ABs and we're going to do some nice hitting," Huhnstock said. "I feel we've got a talented bunch of ball players that will do that for us. We'll gel as a team and be able to win a bunch of these game."
The Rebels hosted Medford Monday in a game that concluded after deadline. Rhinelander travels to Antigo Wednesday and will host the Rebel Invite beginning Friday against Mosinee.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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