Hodag 15U travel team posts 13-4 record

A 15U travel baseball team that featured a number of Rhinelander High School freshmen recently concluded its summer season, competing in four tournaments and posting a 13-4 record.

“Recapping another great and fun winning season by the young men on the Rhinelander 15U Travel baseball team. Scheduled were four tournaments against top teams throughout the state of Wisconsin and Minnesota,” the team stated in a press release. “Going into the season, the boys were going for an undefeated season as the team’s overall goal. Tough task, but they came close.”

The first tournament was in Wausau, where the Hodags started out against Richfield, winning 6-3. They followed that up by beating Bonduel 10-0 and Wausau East 6-3. That got them to the championship game and took the loss, 13-6, against COT from Marshfield.

The next tourney was held in Kaukauna. The Hodags lost to the host team, Kaukauna, which ended up winning the tournament, 5-4. Rhinelander bounced back with wins over Hortonville (9-1) and Quad City (9-6). In the first game of pool play, the Hodags took a loss to Bay Port, 9-5, ending their tournament.

The Hodags began their third tournament in Plover in exciting fashion, scoring a walkoff win against the hosts, 4-3. After a 9-1 win over De Pere, the Hodags faced Plover again, and scored another walkoff win in the seventh, beating them 8-7. A 12-4 win over Eau Clarie got the team into the championship game against the Minnesota All-Stars, where the Hodags fell, 10-3.

“Going into our last tournament, the boys said, ‘We are going out on top in Green Bay,’” the team stated. 

Rhinelander backed up that goal by winning 6-4 over Green Bay and then 5-3 over Denmark. That was followed by a 6-2 win over Wausau East to clinched a spot in the team’s third championship game in four tournaments. The championship game was a rematch against Green Bay where the Hodags took the lead early and won 5-2.

“Overall, our record was 13-4, a winning percentage of .765. A great, successful and fun 2024 summer of baseball against top & tough teams throughout,” the team stated. “A big shoutout to all the parents and fans that followed us and backed us. Thank you.”