May 2, 2022 at 9:20 a.m.
Antigo quiets RHS bats in pair of one-run losses
Antigo quiets RHS bats in pair of one-run losses
The Hodag bats were silenced and Antigo made a few more plays defensively as the Red Robins swept a home-and-home series from Rhinelander, first winning 1-0 Wednesday in Antigo and then 2-1 Friday at Stafford Field.
Rhinelander had only seven hits combined in the contests and failed to come through with an RBI. Meanwhile the Robins scratched across what proved to be the winning run in the third inning of each contest.
Close games have become something of a habit for Rhinelander and Antigo. Dating back to last year, four of the last five meetings between the teams have been decided by one run.
"The little things, the little mistakes add up. When you're in a tight ball game like this, that's the key right there," Hodag coach Joe Waksmonski said.
Antigo 1, Rhinelander 0
Ryan Jamison took a tough luck loss for Rhinelander on Wednesday, allowing only a run on four hits against the Red Robins. But two of those hits came in the third inning and led to Antigo's lone run.
Trevor Tarras had an infield hit to the hole at shortstop to lead off the third inning. He stole second, got to third on a Marvin Duchac grounder and scored on a two-out base hit by Trevin Walbeck.
"Their one run was a single, a stolen base and they were able to execute with a two-out base hit. In the one situation where they had to execute, they did it," Waksmonski said.
Though Rhinelander outhit Antigo 5-4, they stranded seven runners, including three in scoring position. Rhinelander nearly took the lead in the third with AJ Turek standing on second following a single and a stolen base, but Duchac robbed Kolby Ridderbusch of a base hit and an RBI on a hard shot to third to end the inning.
Ridderbusch got robbed again when he came up in the fifth as Mason Gray came up with a diving grab on a foul ball to right to end the inning, stranding runners on second and third.
Rhinelander also made some key outs on the base paths in the game. Max Ratty was picked off first base after singling in the second inning. Cody Everson popped up a bunt attempt after Owen Kurtz walked in the seventh, leading to a double play.
"We had multiple chances throughout the game with runners in scoring position and we just could not drive them in," Waksmonski said. "Just a multitude of reasons why, whether it's lack of execution on a bunt or getting picked off, or just flat out scoring a man in scoring position, we just couldn't get it done today."
Rhinelander also struck out nine times in the contest. Connor Cornelius fanned eight as he scattered five hits over six scoreless innings. Aided by the double play in the seventh, Duchac worked around a walk and a hit batter to earn the save, striking out Jacksen Smith looking to end the contest.
"(Cornelius) was around the dish. He wasn't a guy that's going to throw many pitches down the middle and the couple occasions that he did, we had some shots and just missed them," Waksmonski said.
Jamison stuck out six and did not walk a batter as he took the loss.
"He pitched very well. Both teams had a little bit of a corner on the outside to work with tonight and both pitchers were taking advantage of that," Waksmonski said. "Ryan was no different. I'm sure he'd like to have a couple of pitches back but one run, four hits, it was a good performance. Eighty-pitch outing, it was very efficient as well."
Antigo 2, Rhinelander 1
Antigo flashed some leather again with the Hodags threatening to take the lead late on Friday. The Hodags had runners at second and third with two out in the sixth when Tarras made a diving grab on a sinking line drive by Kurtz to shallow center - a play that likely kept the tying and go-ahead runs from scoring for the Hodags.
It was the second time Tarras made a strong defensive play in the inning. He flagged down a well-hit ball by Ridderbusch to the gap in left center, robbing the Hodag senior of extra bases.
"In the sixth inning Antigo made three outstanding plays in the outfield, running down some fly balls," Waksmonski said, including a long running play by Walbeck in left to retire Logan Schmoeger. "All three balls the outfielder has a ways to get to it, and they made three outstanding plays. Any of those balls fall in and we probably score two runs."
Antigo took the lead in the second as Gray singled and scored on a Reed Kuenzli single that took a wicked hop past Jamison at short. Rhinelander tied it in the bottom of the inning as Sam Schneider doubled and later scored on a passed ball.
A defensive miscue loomed large in the third after Duchac reached on a single. Hunter Aiuppy hit a slow roller to second that Everson had trouble handling. A hurried throw went up the line, allowing Duchac to move to third. He scored what proved to be the winning run moments later on a single to shallow center by Gray.
"That's the unfortunate part, with the way the offense is hitting right now, you have to play absolutely perfect baseball," Waksmonski said. "Unfortunately, it was the couple of mistakes there that cost us the one or two runs and, ultimately cost us the game."
Kuenzli allowed only two hits in the game and struck out seven to earn the win. Five of those strikeouts were looking, including one by Everson to end the contest.
"With our young hitters right now, I think we're just not quite used to that varsity-level type of pitcher where you're not going to get a hittable pitch with two strikes," Waksmonski said. "A lot of our mental approach right now is we think we're going to get a good pitch to hit with two strikes. The fact of the matter is, at this level, you're not. When you a pitch at the edge of the dish, you've got to find a way to battle, foul it off, hit a little blooper to right field, something. With two strikes, you're not going to get a pitch to drive."
Smith allowed two runs, only one earned, on five hits with six strikeouts over six innings in defeat for Rhinelander.
"He felt the zone was floating around on him a bit, but he was able to show some poise and command and really make the adjustments needed to (pitch well enough to) get the win tonight," Waksmonski said.
Rhinelander (3-2, 2-2 Great Northern) started a home-and-home series with Lakeland last night at Stafford Field. The same two teams will meet Thursday in Minocqua.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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