July 14, 2022 at 8:04 a.m.
Holmen downs Rebels again for Merrill title
Holmen downs Rebels again for Merrill title
The Vikings tagged starter Max Ratty for nine runs over three innings Sunday and the Rebels could not keep up in a 13-7 loss in the championship game of the Merrill Invite.
The top two teams in the Wisconsin American Legion Baseball Class AA rankings played to a 2-0 decision a day earlier, but found themselves much deeper into their respective rotations by Sunday. The Rebels managed nine hits off two Holmen pitchers, but the Vikings had 14 hits and took advantage of five Rebel errors to blow the rematch open.
"Holmen is worth its ranking. They're a very good team," Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. "Their hitters take you deep in counts, ran up our pitch count quite a bit. We battled, we fought and we gave them everything that we had."
The first three batters in Holmen's lineup - Xavier Palmer, Jack Walter and Ryland Wall - collected hits off Ratty to get on the board. Hayden Goodell reached on an error to drive in another run before a wild pitch scored Wall. A Calvin Gilbertson ground out and a Tyrus McCoy double brought in two more and gave the Vikings a quick 5-0 lead.
Teagen Gegenfurtner made Ratty pay for three straight two-out walks in the second with a bases-clearing double that gave Holmen an 8-1 lead. Troy Grabowenski tacked on an RBI single to left in the third to make it 9-1.
"We got down early," Huhnstock said. "Early on, our pitcher, Max, was doing a great job. He was getting ground balls. They just hit ground balls that found the outfield grass."
With none of the other usual pitching options either available or eligible to throw Sunday due to pitch count regulations, Rhinelander turned to everyday catcher Sam Schneider to finish out the game and he performed admirably in his first pitching appearance at the varsity level, giving up four runs, but only two earned, on five hits over the final four innings.
"He looked very good. He's got a heck of an arm, as he's displayed many times from behind the plate, and he his a ball player," Huhnstock said. "We knew he was going to give us innings. Every game we learn something about our team and it helps me make decisions as we go forward."
Rhinelander brought enough offense to ensure the game went the distance. Ratty drew a bases loaded walk with one out in the bottom of the first to bring in a run, but the Rebels could do not further damage with the bases full as Owen Kurtz and Adrian Patrone struck out behind that. The Rebels loaded the bases again with one out in the second and this time were able to get something out of it, as Joe Schneider produced an RBI ground out and a wild pitch scored Isaac Bixby to cut the lead to 8-3.
After going three-up, three-down in both the third and the fourth, the Rebels strung together five straight two-out base hits off Palmer in the fifth inning. Ratty hit his first career home run, a two-run shot to left, and Cody Everson added an RBI single later in the inning to cut the lead to 11-6.
Rhinelander got one more in the sixth as Sam Schneider grounded out, driving in Ryan Jamison.
"Holmen has a very good, experienced pitching staff and we were able to put the ball in play and get hits off them, as we have against basically anybody we've played this year," Huhnstock said. "It's good experience for our guys."
Rhinelander (15-3, 6-0 GNLC) closes out the regular season this week, beginning with a game Wednesday night in Minocqua that concluded after deadline for today's edition. The 89ers come to Stafford Field for the rematch this evening and the Rebels will finish the regular season with a non-conference game at Clintonville on Sunday.
Huhnstock said the mindset for the final week of the regular season is simple, "Win baby, win."
"We got a nice, big stretch of important games coming up, starting with Minocqua twice this week, Clintonville and regionals," he said. "We're just going to keep on building toward our goal here."
Regional schedule announced
Rhinelander will open the Class AA Region 2 tournament against GNLC foe Medford Friday, July 22. The Rebels and Medford will play each other in the 5 p.m. game at Merrill's Athletic Park with Antigo and Merrill squaring off in the night-cap.
Rhinelander is 5-0 so far this season against the three other teams in the regional field.
The four-team, double-elimination tournament will feature three games on Saturday, July 23 and the championship game(s) on Sunday, July 24.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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