Monsters down Ducks in Dairyland finale

MINOCQUA — In a season where the Rhinelander River Monsters had to use many more starting pitchers than they had hoped, they still found a way to post another winning record in the Dairyland League.

Josh Randolph became the Monsters’ eighth different starting pitcher in 13 games Sunday, and he turned in a gem. Randolph went the distance and struck out eight batters as the Monsters fended off the Minocqua Wood Ducks 4-3 in the regular season finale in Minocqua.

Jacob Dreifuerst broke a 3-all tie with an RBI single in the eighth as Rhinelander finished 7-5 in the Dairyland Large, which ended up tied for third place in the league. That all but guarantees the River Monsters will have a spot in the WBA Division A playoffs, with the field due to be announced this week. 

Rhinelander somehow got there after starting the season 1-3 in the league and getting only 3 2/3 innings out of presumptive No. 1 starter Joe Schneider this year due to an arm issue.

“We came up with seven wins. I literally don’t know how because it was pretty ugly,” Monsters assistant coach Andy Van Dyke said after Sunday’s win. “Again, that’s baseball. Good teams find a way, and this is a good team. We just need to continue carrying some of that momentum that we somehow picked up into the playoffs.”

None of the three runs Randolph allowed were earned as the Monsters’ usually solid defense committed four errors — two of which spotted Minocqua a 3-1 lead in the second inning. 

The fourth error nearly spelled disaster for the Monsters in the ninth inning. After Randolph hit Jacob Hodgdon with a pitch to open the inning, AJ Berg was unable to handle Jonathan Miller’s sacrifice bunt attempt up the third base line. A wild pitch then allowed both runners to advance, giving Minocqua the tying run at third and the winning run at second with nobody out. 

Sam Schneider made a diving stop on a line drive to second by Ben Peterson and then Randolph registered his eighth strikeout, fanning Brady Hoeft on three pitches. Landyn Hoeft then popped a 1-2 offer up behind home plate where Randolph, backing up catcher Tyler Blomdahl, for the final out.

“There were like 16 times in this game where we said, ‘That’s baseball.’ When we had the miscue with the bunt coverage, again, that’s baseball,” Van Dyke said. “Things happen. It’s a testament to Randy. He really, really just played a great baseball game and did it. And Sammy with that play at second was massive. It was a game-saving play.” 

Randolph scattered four hits and walked three in an 132-pitch complete game effort against his former team. He had already committed to play for the Wood Ducks in 2023 prior to the River Monsters establishing a new team. He returned to Rhinelander, where he played high school and legion baseball, this year.

“Randolph threw an amazing baseball game today,” Van Dyke said. “Before the game we said it’s one of the weirdest looking defenses that we’ve had so far this year and, other than that second inning, this team — no matter who we put out there defensively, can stack up to anybody in the state, I believe.”

    Rhinelander’s Jacob Dreifuerst hits a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning of a Dairyland League baseball game in Minocqua Sunday, July 28. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Dreifuerst came up clutch for the Monsters in the eighth after another former Hodag and Wood Duck, Martin Hoger, walked to lead off the eighth inning. Hoger moved from first to third thanks to an overthrow following a passed ball and scored as Dreifuerst singled up the middle with one out in the eighth. 

“He’s been that this year,” Van Dyke said of Dreifuerst, who collected his seventh RBI in 10 games. “That’s what he’s been doing the second half of the season. I don’t know if he’s been our best hitter, but every opportunity he has to come up with a clutch hit, he has. It’s been great.”

Rhinelander jumped out to the lead in the second inning as the Ducks misfired on a potential double play ball on a Dreifuerst grounder to second, which allowed Jesse Robinson to score. Tyler Blomdahl was thrown out at home trying to score on the same play. 

The Monsters’ lead was short-lived as a tough-hop base hit started Minocqua’s rally in the bottom of the second. Danny Gahler reached on an error and Austin Samanske walked to load the bases with one out. Ben Peterson then drew a free pass to force home a run. Two more runs scored when Adam Radtke was unable to handle Brody Hoeft’s grounder to second.

Rhinelander tied the game in the third courtesy of back-to-back RBIs from brothers Joe and Sam Schneider. Joe doubled home Quinn Lamers and Sam’s ground ball to short plated Randolph. 

The Monsters were unable to do further damage after loading the bases with one out in the third. Minocqua brought in reliever Austin Burnside to put out the fire and he kept Rhinelander off the board, striking out five over 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. 

“That’s the smallest kid we’ve seen this year and he’s also the hardest throwing kid we’ve seen, I think,” Van Dyke said. “It was a lot of heat, but he mixed pitches. We always seem to find a lull in those middle innings anyway.”

Lamers went 4 for 5 for Rhinelander to bring his team-leading batting average up to .471 on the summer. Rhinelander outhit Minocqua 12-4 in the contest. 

With 29 teams fighting for 24 spots in the larger A Division of the WBA playoffs, Rhinelander all but guaranteed itself a spot in the postseason by winning its final two games of the regular season. The biggest questions are where will Rhinelander go and who will the Monsters face in the tournament. Merrill, Wisconsin Rapids, River Falls and Tilden are the four regionals sites and each site will host two, three-team pods. Regionals will take place Aug. 9-11. The winner of each pod will advance to the state tournament Aug. 16-18 in River Falls.

“We’re full strength going into the playoffs, which will be great,” Van Dyke said. “In terms of pitching, we’re going to have more pitching than we’ve had all year. As long as we hit — and that’s kind of been the theme for two years now — we can stack up with anybody. I really believe that.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].