July 7, 2022 at 9:06 a.m.
Hodag 12U All-Stars drop opening game in district play
Hodag 12U All-Stars drop opening game in district play
Rhinelander could not dig out of that hole Tuesday, unable to overcome a seven-run deficit after two innings in a 10-7 loss to Wausau American at Mel Mode Field.
Five Rhinelander pitchers combined to walk 13 batters in the game - including three walks with the bases loaded - which ultimately proved to account for the margin of defeat.
Rhinelander tried to make things interesting, getting two runs back in the third when Wausau American couldn't field a two-out fly ball to center by Tommy Eades. However Wausau answered with two of their own with two out in the fourth following a single, a pair of errors and the Hodags' third bases-loaded free pass of the game.
Rhinelander's first three batters of the fourth all reached via the hit. Blake Bauer scored on a wild pitch and Johnny Baker hit an RBI double to cut the lead to 10-5. Henry Schmitz drove in a run with a fielder's choice and later scored on an error following a wild pitch, cutting the lead to 10-7.
Rhinelander loaded the bases with two out, but Bauer struck out swinging to end the Hodags' last best scoring threat.
Wausau American did all of its scoring on only three hits, including a three-run triple by Camden Rye as part of its big six-run second. The Hodags had six hits, including a 3-for-4 day for Vince White, who tripled in the first and was awarded home following obstruction as he made the turn around second. White hit two doubles later in the contest.
Bauer, Douglas Hartmann and Baker had the other hits for Rhinelander.
Eades took the loss. Though he struck out four in 1 1/3 innings, he also had seven walks and allowed two of Wausau American's three hits. Jaxon West relieved Eades and went two innings, allowing just an unearned run before getting out of the second. Nolan Pasanen gave up a pair of unearned runs in the fourth following a pair of two-out errors before White came on and struck out four without a hit over 1 1/3 innings. Hartmann pitched a scoreless sixth for Rhinelander, working around a two-out walk.
Merrill and Antigo make up the two other teams in Rhinelander's four-team pool in the first week of district play. The Hodags were slated to take on Antigo Wednesday and Merrill Thursday in games that concluded after deadline for today's edition.
The top two teams from the Rhinelander pool advance to the second week of district play that begins this coming Monday at Doepke Park in Wausau.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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