June 17, 2021 at 2:42 p.m.
Bixby's brilliance
Hodags down Antigo 1-0 in regionals behind Isaac Bixby's 4-hit shutout
Bixby's brilliance
Bixby pitched a gem, striking out eight in a four-hit shutout, and the Hodags scratched across a run in the fourth inning to defeat rival Antigo 1-0 Tuesday in a WIAA regional semifinal game at Stafford Field.
"I was thinking I've got to keep my focus the entire game," he said. "I've been thinking about this game since Saturday. I've been visualizing myself out on the mound and it really paid off tonight, that's for sure."
The win advanced Rhinelander to Wednesday's regional final round at Shawano, (which concluded after deadline for today's print edition). Rhinelander won that game 5-4 in nine innings to advance to the sectional semifinals.
On Tuesday - in his final high school game on his home diamond - the night belonged to Bixby. The Hodags' ace kept an Antigo team that scored 21 runs against Rhinelander in two regular season games scoreless when it mattered most.
"Isaac Bixby, what can you say about that performance today. He was on, obviously," Hodag coach Joe Waksmonski said. "When you have a pitcher that's throwing that well, all you need is one or two runs and that's it."
Antigo's Eli Fleischman was every bit Bixby's equal in a classic pitchers' duel. He allowed a run on five hits over six innings, but Rhinelander was able to take advantage of one tiny opening to push across the game's lone run.
Joe Schneider started the fourth inning with a grounder that Connor Kolz made a diving stop on at third base. Kolz tried to make a throw from his knees, but Schneider beat out the two-hopper to give Rhinelander a base runner.
With his younger brother, Sam, at the plate, Joe Schneider made a break for second on an 0-1 pitch, got there easily and advanced to third when catcher Dane Cornelius' throw sailed into right field. Two pitches later, Sam Schneider grounded out to shortstop to drive in what proved to be the winning run.
"Obviously, they want the one throw back, but we took advantage and we were able to push across our one run," Waksmonski said.
That was all that Bixby and the Hodag defense needed. Antigo attempted to tie the game in the sixth, sending Elliott Orgeman from second on a two-out single to left by Fleischman, but Quinn Lamers made the throw home on a relay play just in time to cut down the tying run and end the inning.
"It wasn't exactly how you draw it up, where the left fielder throws it to the shortstop," Waksmonski said. "I almost think it surprised Quinn that he had the ball. It looked like he didn't have the complete grasp of the ball before he threw it, but he kind of made sure and he had plenty of time. Quinn got the ball, there was a lot of communication going on to throw home. He got the grip, made a nice, strong throw and Joe did a great job at the plate to block it off just enough and apply the tag."
After retiring the first two batters of the seventh inning, Bixby issued his only walk of the game - a free pass to Cornelius - and then gave up a soft single to right by Will Kubeny to give Antigo runners at the corners. After getting Musolff to swing and miss at a pair of curveballs, Bixby froze the Robin senior with an 0-2 fastball to end it.
"As soon as he swung and missed on that second curveball, I knew I had him. He was no match for my fastball at that point," he said.
The one thing Bixby did not quite visualize was what the celebration would feel like afterward, as Rhinelander defeated Antigo twice in a season for the first time since 2011.
"It was definitely a very emotional night," he said. "After I struck that kid out, the glove went straight up in the air. We celebrated very hard. It was very emotional."
Every time Antigo reached base in the game, Bixby and the Hodag defense had an answer. When Kubeny reached in the third on a dropped third strike, Bixby got Musolff to ground back to the mound to trigger a double play. In the fourth, Antigo put runners at the corners with one out after Logan Thomae reached on Rhinelander's lone error of the game, followed by an infield hit through a shift by Fleischman to second. From there, Bixby got Kolz to pop out and Dakota Matuszewski to ground out to get out of the jam, which appeared to turn momentum ahead of Rhinelander's run in the bottom of the inning.
"Great job pitching in that situation by Bix(by) inducing the pop out and then the fielder's choice," Waksmonski said. "Clutch moments and clutch situations, that's what you need in the playoffs. Isaac came through."
The Hodags outhit the Robins 5-4 in the contest, but had a couple of unusual calls go against them in their effort to get some insurance. Ian Miller hit a two-out single for the Hodags in the fourth and looked to take second on a steal, but Kolby Ridderbusch was called out for interference on the throw, ending the inning.
In the sixth, Ben Sinclair served as a pinch runner for Sam Schneider following a double and took off to third on a grounder by Walker Hartman. Sinclair flashed past Orgeman at short as the ball got under his glove, but Sinclair was called out for interference and the inning ended shortly thereafter as Hartman's pinch runner, Jacksen Smith, was thrown out trying to go from first to third on a single to right by Miller.
"I was hoping in the bottom of the sixth, we'd get a few more runs. Then we got some offensive interference there at shortstop, but it looks like one run was all I needed today," Bixby said.
With the win, the Hodags (10-10) advanced to their first regional final since making two straight trips in 2016 and 2017. The Hodags were seeking their first trip to sectionals since 2004.
Rhinelander will face Seymour in the sectional semifinals next Tuesday in Wrightstown.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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