June 8, 2023 at 1:06 p.m.
River Monsters score back-to-back wins
River Monsters score back-to-back wins
The team's pitching depth was tested Saturday night as it edged Tomahawk 7-6 in a non-conference game at Kahle Field. On Sunday, the team flexed its pitching muscle with the front half of the rotation, scattering two hits in a 5-2 win over Whittlesey at Stafford Field.
Nick Spencer was pressed into long relief duty on Saturday night. The River Monsters led the whole way, but the Titans stayed close before Nate Schmidt shut things down over the final three innings to earn the save.
The River Monsters purposely wanted to save ace Ryan Jamison for Sunday's Dairyland League game at home against the Reds. He scattered two hits over six innings to earn the win and Joe Schneider, just back from a UW-Stevens Point squad that made it to the NCAA Division-III Super Regionals, worked three innings to get the save in his first outing of the summer.
"Our pitching has been fabulous. Today with Jamo and Joe, if you can put up for those guys, we should be competitive," River Monsters manager Todd Johnson said.
Rhinelander 5, Whittlesey 2
All the action took place in the first two innings on Sunday as the River Monsters jumped on Whittlesey starter Brandon Loetscher and the Reds took advantage of a couple of free bases to score a pair of early runs.
Rhinelander loaded the bases with one out in the first after the Reds botched a potential inning-ending double play on a Joe Schneider grounder back to the mound. All the River Monsters were able to get out of it, however, was a Jamison sacrifice fly to right.
Jamison then plunked leadoff man Tom Mildbrand in the second inning before walking Ben Meier to put two on with nobody out. After a Parker Lissner sacrifice, Brandon Loetscher grounded out to short to score Mildbrand and Cody Loetscher reached on a two-out error to first that allowed Meier to score and give the Reds a 2-1 lead.
Quinn Lamers tied things for the River Monsters in the second with a based-loaded single that scored Spencer. Lamers then beat out a throw to second on a Joe Schneider grounder. Kurt Zuiker scored on the play and Sam Schneider then doubled to deep left center to put the River Monsters up 5-2.
The teams traded zeroes the rest of the way.
"That seems to be our M.O. where were score early and then get into a lull offensively," Johnson said. "When you looked at the lineup, we recognized those names. They're some of the best players that have played at Medford in the high school and legion. They're definitely a good team."
The Reds stranded 13 runners on base, most of them put on by Rhinelander's pitchers. Jamison walked five and hit two batters over six innings. He struck out four, and the only hits he allowed were bloop singles by Cade Alexander and Meier in the third and fifth innings, respectively.
Joe Schneider did not allow a hit over the final three innings while striking out three, but had two walks and three hit batters.
"That's one thing we talked about. I told Jamo and I told Joe, it's very tough for those guys to score runs off you if they've got to do it by base hits," Johnson said.
Lamers and Sam Schneider had two hits lead each the River Monsters, who had only two base runners from the fifth inning on against the Reds' bullpen. Brandon Loetscher went 1 1/3 innings in the loss. Nick Retterath allowed one hit and struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings of relief and Spike Alexander pitched a scoreless eighth with a pair of strikeouts. The River Monsters outhit the Reds 5-2 in the contest.
Rhinelander 7, Tomahawk 6
The River Monsters jumped out to an early lead and held on Saturday night to defeat the Titans 7-6 in Tomahawk.
Spencer put Rhinelander on the board with a two-run single in the first and Easton Senoraske added an RBI groundout in the inning, but it was Spencer who came to the rescue on the mound after Senoraske was forced out after feeling something go amiss in his arm in the opening inning.
Spencer scattered five runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings of relief. He walked only one and stuck out five. Schmidt gave up only two hits the rest of the way to earn the save.
"Nick Spencer comes in and throws 5 2/3 innings and it's probably been several years since he's pitched, probably last time in a legion game," Johnson said. "Nate Schmidt, one of the elder statesmen of the team, he comes in and throws three innings for us. Can't say enough about what those two did for us (Saturday) night."
The Titans got run back in the first as Matt Heinrick walked and scored on a Brady Marten ground out. Rhinelander made the lead 5-1 in the third on a two-run double by Ben Quade, but Tomahawk answered back in the bottom of the inning as the first four batters of the inning reached, capped off by an RBI single by John Roberts and a two-run double by Marten.
The back-and-forth continued in the fourth as Schmidt singled home a run with the bases loaded and nobody out before Tyler Blomdahl hit a sacrifice fly to right, that scored Joe Schneider. The Titans got two more off Spencer in the fifth on a two-run, two-out double by TJ Jablonski.
Joe Schneider, Schmidt, Spencer and Quade each recorded two hits as the team finished the game tied with 10 hits apiece.
Wisconsin Rapids ahead
Rhinelander (3-1) sits a half game behind Everest for the Dairyland Large lead following last weekend's play but the River Monsters face a tough challenge this coming Sunday against a Rapids Redhawks team that has won three of its last four to move into third in the league standings at 3-2.
Among the players listed on Rapids' roster is former RHS graduate and UW-Stevens Point standout Bradley Comer, who led the Pointers in several offensive categories this spring.
The game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Rapids Area Sports Complex on the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School campus.
"It will be interesting to get to go down there, play on the turf field. They're going to be good and I heard they're getting strong," Johnson said. "Just like us, they're getting some college guys back but if we take a good lineup down there, we'll be competitive with them."
Rhinelander's next home game will be Saturday, June 24 against Minocqua.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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