April 24, 2019 at 2:01 p.m.
Hodag baseball struggles to split with Northland Pines
Hodag baseball struggles to split with Northland Pines
Bradley Stephens singled up the middle to complete a rally as Northland Pines defeated Rhinelander 9-8 in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Stafford Field Tuesday night.
The Eagles could have just as easily swept the Hodags if not for some last inning erratic pitching in game 1. Reliever Patrick Heck walked three straight batters - forcing home the tying and winning runs - as the Hodags snuck past Pines 3-2 in the first contest.
A number of the same players were on the field last July when Northwoods stunned Rhinelander in the American Legion class AA regionals, knocking the Rebels out of the tournament. Tuesday's twinbill had a similar feel.
"We had our chances, but it seems like we just kind of fell asleep there and we don't score and don't get anything going for three or four innings at a time," RHS baseball coach Joe Waksmonski said. "We just got complacent - physically, mentally, emotionally. By the time we got the lead again we might have gotten a little complacent and Pines came back and bit us."
Danny Zuiker, who was credited with the game-winning RBI in ame 1 when he drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Bryce Schickert, came up big in the seventh inning again in game 2. His two-run single up the middle put the Hodags' ahead 8-6.
But defensive mistakes ultimately proved too costly. Liam Stevens misfired on a throw from third, allowing Nathan Hopkins to reach with one out in the seventh. Tucker Wittkopf followed with a base hit and then Patrick Heck's long fly ball to right popped in and out of the glove of Martin Hoger, allowing Hopkins to score and giving the Eagles runners at second and third with one out. Josh Randolph struck out Lars Evensen, but gave up back-to-back singles to Braden Neubauer and Stephens to end the game.
"We talk about making the routine plays and it doesn't matter what inning it is, but you need those plays in the last inning in a tight ball game like this," Waksmonski said. "But, you've got to give them credit. Even after those errors, Josh did a nice job to get to two outs, but their hitters put a nice couple of at bats together and hit the ball hard."
The Hodags came out firing in Game 2, building a 6-1 lead after an inning and a half, but could not sustain momentum once Northland Pines went to its bullpen.
Rhinelander scored four times in the first, keyed by a Schickert RBI single and a bases-loaded walk by Tim Fox. The Hodags scored twice more in the second on a Randolph sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Payton Johnson, who went 4-for-4 in the second game.
Pines got a run back in the first as Sam Johnson reached on an error, stole second and came around on a couple of groundouts. Three more runs came across in the second. Neubauer singled home Heck. He and Logan Hissom later scored on passed balls.
Northland Pines tied the game in the fifth, an RBI single by Wittkopf chased Hoger from the hill after 4 1/3 innings. Randolph came in and gave up a game-tying RBI double to Heck.
"You've got to give Pines' credit," Waksmonski said. "For the most part they did a nice job offensively. They had some great at-bats. They put together some more innings where they were threatening and doing some things on the base paths."
Aiden Lifschultz got the win in game 2, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings of relief. Randolph, who took the win in relief in game 1, was saddled with the loss for the Hodags.
Pines nearly stole the first game from the Hodags, which quickly became a pitchers duel between a pair of lefties - Schickert for Rhinelander and Hopkins for Northland Pines.
Miscues gave Rhinelander the lead in Game 1. Tim Fox, courtesy running after catcher Walker Hartman drew a walk, got into a rundown after getting picked off first base, but survived when Ben Tilley dropped the ball on the tag attempt. He eventually scored on an Abe Laggis sacrifice fly to give Rhinelander a 1-0 lead. The scored remained that way until the sixth. Schickert wiggled out of a bases loaded, one out jam in the fifth, but Pines finally capitalized in the sixth as Stephens singled off Schickert to score Heck and tie the game. It was Schickert's last batter after hitting the daily 100-pitch threshold.
Pines took the lead in the top of the seventh as Sam Johnson doubled to shallow center just in front of Laggis' attempt at a diving catch. He scored two batters later as Hopkins singles to right.
Stevens doubled off Hopkins to lead off the bottom of the seventh - only the second hit the Hodags got off the south paw. Schickert reached on an error and Payton Johnson sacrificed to put the tying and winning runs in scoring position with one out.
Heck struggled with command after coming into the contest. He worked the count full before walking Hartman, Isaac Bixby and Zuiker, ending the game in the Hodags' favor.
"We had a tough time with Hopkins (6 1/3 IP, 2 H, ER, 4 K, 2 BB). I thought he did a great job hitting his spots and keeping everybody off balance," Waksmonski said. "We couldn't string together too many at-bats until that last inning when we were able to get the reliever in."
For Rhinelander (3-1, 1-1 Great Northern), it was its first games since a doubleheader sweep April 6 at Notre Dame Academy in Green Bay. Waksmonski said any momentum gained from the opener was lost when the Hodags were forced back inside. Snow and rain resulted in two weeks of canceled games.
"Unfortunately for us, it's real early," he said. "It's only our third day outside and, for the most part, we're getting what we thought we were going to get - a lot of up and down pitching, hitting, defensively."
Schickert struck out six, walked five and allowed a run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings in game 1. Randolph allowed a run on two hits to pick up the win in that contest. Hoger allowed six runs, four earned on five hits with two strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings in the second game.
The Hodags get a needed week of practice outside before the schedule kicks into high gear this coming Tuesday with a doubleheader at Medford. It begins a string of nine games in 10 days for the Hodags, including four doubleheaders.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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