June 7, 2021 at 8:32 a.m.
Antigo takes round 2 from RHS baseball, 11-4
Antigo takes round 2 from RHS baseball, 11-4
After the Hodags walked off against Antigo last Tuesday it was the Robins turn Friday for a late-inning offensive eruption. Antigo scored nine runs on nine hits over the fifth and sixth innings as it pulled away to an 11-4 win over the Hodags at Kretz Brothers Park.
Joe Schneider settled in after a shaky start for Rhinelander, retiring 10 in a row at one-point before a pair of two-out errors in the fourth cut the Hodags' lead to 3-2. Antigo then delivered four straight one-out hits to knock Schneider off the mound in the fifth.
The Robins did more damage to reliever Quinn Lamers, welcoming him to the game with three more hits as part of a decisive six-run frame.
"The difference between the two teams tonight was their ability to make the necessary adjustments at the plate. As hitters we did not do what we need to, to make those adjustments," Hodag coach Joe Waksmonski said. "Joe threw well, really tight zone for both teams tonight. Both pitchers had a whale of a time trying to adjust to it and, quite honestly, both pitchers did a great job adjusting to the zone. A lot of our pitches had to be curveballs, from both sides. It seemed like that was the only pith that was being called. I don't think we had a called fastball for a strike until the fifth inning. But the thing is, is it was for both teams. Antigo made the necessary adjustments and we just couldn't crack it."
Lamers singled and scored after an errant throw to second on a steal by Joe Schneider in the first. The Hodags loaded the bases with two out in the inning and Kolby Ridderbusch was hit by a pitch to force in a second run.
Rhinelander thought it added to the inning on a grounder by Ryan Jamison, but Jamison was ruled out on what appeared to be an errant call at first. Photographic evidence clearly showed Jamison beating the throw to the bag.
Antigo got one back on an RBI single by Eli Fleischman in the first, but the Hodags made it 3-1 in the second as Isaac Bixby singled and, following a two-out error to extend the inning, scored on a wild pitch.
Back-to-back two out errors by Jamison at third on grounders by Will Kubeny and Cole Musolff allowed Kubeny's courtesy runner, Josh Huess, to score in the fourth to make it 3-2.
From there, Antigo began the hit parade. Logan Thomae, Fleischman, Connor Kolz and Dakota Matuszewski all singled. The hits, coupled with two run-scoring wild pitches, made it 5-3 Antigo and Schneider's time on the hill was done when he walked Dane Cornelius. Schneider ended up striking out seven as he allowed six runs on six hits over 4 2/3 innings.
"He had a lot of their hitters out on their front foot the first two times through the order," Waksmonski said. "Once we got to that third time through, they're a good hitting team. They just let their hands do the work and hit some shots just low enough through our infield and they found some holes."
Kubeny doubled, Musolff singled and Austin Schedlbauer doubled off Lamers in relief, all three hits drove in runs as Antigo took an 8-3 lead.
Tim Fox singled home Ridderbusch in the top of the sixth to make it 8-4, but the Robins got three more insurance runs in the sixth as Fleischman was hit by a pitch and then scored on a three-base throwing error by Lamers off a Kolz grounder. Following a Matuszewski infield hit deep in the hole at short, Cornelius singled in a run and Schedlbauer later drew a bases-loaded walk.
Both teams finished 8-4 and tied for second in Great Northern Conference play, but Rhinelander's 11-10 win last Tuesday over Antigo that gave the Hodags the second seed for the upcoming WIAA tournament. Antigo was relegated to the third seed and, assuming the Robins can get by three-win Tomahawk in the first round, it will be Rhinelander-Antigo Part III next Tuesday in Rhinelander with a trip to the regional finals on the line.
"We just have to realize that Antigo's going to come with their bats and we have to be able to match them hit for hit, base for base," Waksmonski said, looking ahead to the potential rematch. "It's probably going to be a case where it's another 11-10, 15-14 game is we want to beat them again."
Wisconsin Rapids doubleheader
With its seeding position secure and no conference implications, the Hodags turned Thursday's non-conference doubleheader over to its seniors as they split a twin bill with the Raiders. The Hodags jumped out to an early lead and beat Rapids 8-6 in the first game but were held to only two hits and lost in the nightcap, 6-0.
"That was kind of the name of this doubleheader, just trying to get those guys in and get them some playing time - this being their last regular season game at home," Waksmonski said. "We got them in and, with the split, you're not completely happy, but we did get one win today."
Sam Schneider went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs in the first contest. Rhinelander plated four runs in the first inning, added by two Rapids' errors and a couple of passed balls. The Hodags tacked on three in the second and got a key insurance run up 7-6 in the sixth and Lamers reached on a error and scored on a Sam Schneider double.
"They had some errors we took advantage of, but we capitalized on them too. We had some clutch hits with two outs," Waksmonski said.
Rapids plated three runs in the third and two in the fifth off Jamison, who scattered six hits over five innings. Rapids added one in the sixth off Devyn Orth as a misfire on a double play chance allowed Jordan Tibbetts to score, but Lamers pitched a perfect seventh inning for Rhinelander to record the save.
The Hodag bats went silent in the second game. Sam Schneider's first inning hit was the only allowed by starter Jacob Dekarske, who struck out 11 over six innings.
"He had a couple of wild pitches here and there, but effectively wild is what he was tonight," Waksmonski said. "He throws hard and he looks really good. He was tough to pick up. A lot of our hitters weren't seeing the ball out of his hand very well. Hat's off to him."
Ian Miller singled off reliever Austin Junemann in the seventh.
The Raiders meanwhile jumped on Rhinelander for two in the first inning off Orth and got two more in the fourth on a two-run double by Ashton Potter. Orth allowed four runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings. Jordan Kuczmarski came on in relief and allowed two runs on a hit with a couple of walks over the final 2 1/3 innings.
Late addition
Thanks to the first-round bye, the Hodags have added a non-conference game this coming Friday at Stratford to serve as one final postseason tune-up. Waksmonski hinted that his team may try to squeeze in another game as well, if they can find another opponent.
"We have at least one more. We'll try to get a second one in there as well to get our guys some at-bats, but definitely one more and obviously we'll have some time to practice and talk about some of the adjustments we need to do as hitters, making sure we're ready for June 15," he said.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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