April 20, 2023 at 8:42 a.m.
Six-run fifth foils Hodags vs. Lakeland
Six-run fifth foils Hodags vs. Lakeland
The T-Birds scored all six of their runs in the fifth inning after stringing together four hits off DeMeyer. That was the difference in Lakeland's 6-2 win over Rhinelander at the Hodag Dome.
Timmerman struck out 19 for Lakeland and allowed only three hits, but Rhinelander took advantage of some erratic pitches to push across two runs in the first inning. That lead held until Lakeland's bats figured out DeMeyer in the fifth.
"They had some nice hits. We had some plays that were right on the edge. Sometimes, I'd like to make them, but the effort was there," said Hodag coach D.J. DeMeyer, who was critical of some of his team's lapses in an 18-5 loss at Mosinee its last time out. "Saylor's a good pitcher. Addi pitched not as well as I'd like to see. I don't know how many walks she had, maybe 8 or 9. We've got to cut down on the walks."
The walks didn't help. DeMeyer had nine of them in the contest, including two in the decisive fifth inning, but Lakeland's ability to adjust at the plate proved to be the difference.
Saylor Timmerman plated Lakeland's first run smashing a triple to deep right to score her sister, Ali, who had reached on a walk to lead off the fifth. Following a walk and a fielder's choice, Marlee Strasburg gave Lakeland the lead with a two-run double to right. Strasburg scored on a fly ball by Thalia Young that went off right fielder Kelsi Beran's mitt. Sarah Barton added a single and, two batters later, Moriah Lewis sliced a two-run double down the right field line.
The common thread in Lakeland's four hits that inning was that all four went to the opposite field.
"I think they were just trying, literally, to make contact," coach DeMeyer said. "I think we needed to change some speeds a little bit more there. Addi did do that there after that inning and it showed. They weren't hitting her at all then. I think we have to talk to Addi and (catcher) Maddi (Roeser) about continuing to change speeds. I knew she threw a couple of change-ups early in the game, but she was high. You've still got to work on it, still got to throw it and keep them off base and on their front foot."
Saylor Timmerman led the GNC in strikeouts with 169 last year as freshman and padded her total this year in Tuesday's game. That included a rare five-strikeout inning in the first that, ultimately, helped Rhinelander score its lone runs. Abigale Johnson led off the inning by reaching on a dropped third strike. After stealing second, she ended up at third on a third-strike passed ball that put Roeser aboard. Both scored on wild pitches later in the inning before Timmerman finally struck out the side.
"We jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Saylor had five strikeouts, but there were a couple of passed balls and we scored. We were aggressive, stole a base here or there," coach DeMeyer said.
Rhinelander nearly took advantage of another pitch that went to the backstop in the fifth inning. Nora Rutkowski, who collected the Hodags' first hit of the game, was at third when a pitch went to the screen, but Lakeland was able to recover and throw Rutkowski out at the plate on a bang-bang play.
Laney Haenel followed with a single, but Dawsyn Barkus struck out to end the inning. Roeser added a two-out infield hit in the sixth, but was stranded after DeMeyer flew out to right. Beran kept the game alive in the seventh, reaching on a dropped third strike, but Timmerman fanned Haenel to end the contest.
"We had some quality at bats against Saylor," coach DeMeyer said. "We might have left a run or two on the bases there. Laney Haenel had a great at-bat. I think she was down 0-2, fouled off four, five pitches and came through with a big clutch hit. There was a passed ball there and I sent Nora. She hesitated and got thrown out at home. That's where one run was. Just trying to make something happen."
Saylor Timmerman, Moriah Louis and Strasburg collected two hits each as Lakeland outhit Rhinelander 7-3. The T-Birds stranded 11 runners in the contest and Addi DeMeyer worked out of jams that either saw the bases loaded or runners at second and third in each of the first three innings.
The Hodags (4-8, 1-3 Great Northern) took on Medford Thursday in a game that concluded after deadline. That game was moved from Medford to the Hodag Dome because of heavy rain in Thursday's forecast.
Rhinelander's was scheduled to host Wausau East today, but that game was because postponed to May 12 due wet field conditions at the Haug Family Softball Complex. The Hodag Dome is unavailable as it prepares to host Nicolet College's commencement exercises on Saturday.
The Hodags will host Tomahawk on Tuesday.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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