July 9, 2018 at 10:30 a.m.

Mostly Even team rallies to take Hodag alumni baseball game

Mostly Even team rallies to take Hodag alumni baseball game
Mostly Even team rallies to take Hodag alumni baseball game

By Jeremy [email protected]

A crazy comeback capped off this year's reunion of former Rhinelander High School baseball players.

The Mostly Even team scored nine runs in the fifth inning to rally past the Odd team 14-9 in the Hodag Alumni baseball game, hosted by the Hodag Diamond Club Saturday at Stafford Field.

Down 9-5 heading to the fifth - the last inning to be played under the game's two-hour time limit - the team of players who graduated in even-numbered years (with the addition of a few odd-year graduates to balance the rosters), combined patient at-bats and timely hitting to make a rally.

The first three batters of the fifth reached and Jordan Schmidt (Class of 2009) capped off a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a two-run single that scored cousins Kurt Zuiker (2016) and Joe Zuiker (2012). Schmidt would later score on an error and Josh McGeshick (2006) drove in the tying run on a single that plated Bryan Kronberger (2012).

The Even team loaded the bases later in the inning for Tom Pulec (1987), who cleared them with a double to deep center that scored Abe Phillips (2008), McGeshick and Nick Spencer (2015). Ken Pazdernik (1972) brought Pulec around on a single and Joe Zuiker added an RBI double.

Until that point, the Odd team seemed in control, as it scored nine times in the first two innings to build a commanding lead.

Trent Coppenger (1985) got things going in the bottom of the first with a double that scored Chad Huebner (1989). Coppenger later scored on a wild pitch. Matt Rudolph (2017) walked and later scored when Brad Kowieski (1993) reached on a two-out error.

The Odds scored six more times in the second. Rudolph drew a bases-loaded walk that scored his 2017 classmate Tait Spencer. Mark Kowieski (1995) followed with an RBI single to score Huebner. Eric Toms (2007) bounced into an RBI groundout to plate Coppenger. Nate Schmidt (2011) singled to score Rudolph and Brad Kowieski doubled in his brother and Schmidt.

Until late, the Even team's only offense came in a hot-hitting second inning. They strung together four hits that frame to briefly tie the game at 3. Kronberger singled in Jordan Schmidt, Phillips followed with a single that plated Tyler Blomdahl (2017) and Pulec grounded into a bases-loaded fielder's choice that scored Kronberger.

The Evens scored twice more in the fourth on a groundout by Nick Spencer and a single by Pulec. The damage could have been greater in the inning, but Coppenger made a long, running grab to snatch away a drive down the right field line by Pazdernik.

Kurt Zuiker was the pitcher of record for the Even team, working a scoreless fourth to earn the win. Kronberger pitched a scoreless fifth and the Evens turned a double play to end the contest.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].

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