July 1, 2019 at 12:06 p.m.
Schickert tosses one-hitter, Rebels beat Merrill 3-1
Schickert tosses one-hitter, Rebels beat Merrill 3-1
Bryce Schickert was one out away from a no-no Friday night, only to watch it go away on a Jake Bailey two-out single to right in the seventh. The Rhinelander lefty still put up a command performance as the Post 7 Rebels defeated Merrill 3-1 in a non-conference American Legion baseball game at Athletic Park.
It was an unassuming no-hit bid, especially after Rhinelander gave up a run following of a pair of errors in the first inning. Schickert admitted he didn't realize he had a no-hitter going until Merrill's dugout yelled encouragement to pinch hitter Brett Seubert to break up the no-no as he came to bat with once out in the seventh. Schickert got Seubert to fly out to left on a nice running catch by Teagan Guckenberg but, two pitches later, Bailey took Schickert's 1-0 offering the other way to shallow right for Post 46's only hit.
"I was just going along and, all of a sudden I heard the other dugout saying, 'Screw up his no-hitter!' I didn't even know I had a no-hitter going. Next thing you know, that kid hit one to right," Schickert said.
Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said he was less worried about the feat in progress than making sure his defense was properly aligned and making sure Schickert managed his pitch count.
"That's what we've come to expect from Bryce over the last several years. He's been our ace and he continues to be our ace," he said of Schickert's 101-pitch, complete game effort in which he struck out three and walked four.
Ty Bailey walked in the first and scored when Piersen Pyan reached on an error to second. That was it for the Merrill offense, which got only two runners into scoring position from after the first inning.
"We had a few errors in the first inning and we shored them up after that," Schickert said.
The Rebels took the lead thanks to a couple of Merrill miscues in the third. Abe Laggis reached on a third-strike wild pitch and Martin Hoger, who went 3-for-4 in the contest, collected a hit to give Rhinelander runners on second and third, and no out in the inning. Two batters later, Liam Stevens flew out to deep right to drive in Laggis. Hoger advanced to third on the play and scored moments later on a passed ball to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead.
Rhinelander added some insurance in the third as Isaac Bixby walked and scored on a two-out base hit by Hoger.
"That was big that we put a couple of runs on the board there and took the lead," Huhnstock said.
Rhinelander had several more opportunities, but could not add to the lead. The Rebels left at least one runner in scoring position in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Overall, Rhinelander stranded nine on base in the contest.
"We had opportunities to put more on. We did not execute our bunts very well tonight. We'll work on that.," Huhnstock said.
Fortunately for Rhinelander, it did not need any more offense the way Schickert was humming along. He kept Merrill's bats silent with a steady diet of fastballs.
"The fastball was really working. I was hitting my marks and was putting where they couldn't hit it," he said.
Added Huhnstock: "When you've got something going, you stick with it. That's what a smart pitcher does. You don't try to get cute because you have other pitches. If the fastball's working, the fastball's working."
The win was Rhinelander's seventh straight following a 2-4 start. The Rebels were home last night to face Minocqua in a Great Northern Legion Conference contest that concluded after deadline.
Rhinelander travels to Northwoods tomorrow night before returning to Merrill this coming weekend for an invitational.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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