Babe Ruth Roundup: Preppers rally past Lakeland 11-6

Rhinelander found itself on the ropes early Monday night against a Lakeland team it had routed on the road a week prior, but got the offense going late to remain in the hunt for first place in the Northwoods Babe Ruth Prep League standings.

The Hodags scored 11 unanswered runs from the third inning on and defeated the T-Birds 11-6 at Stafford Field. 

The T-Birds were patient early against Rhinelander starter Brayden Dervetski as three walks led to three runs in the top half of the first inning. A hit batter and a walk lead to two more runs in the second. Lakeland tacked on one more in the third of reliever Jaxon West as a leadoff single translated into a run. 

    Rhinelander’s Daniel Meier fields a throw to first base during a Northwoods Babe Ruth Prep League game against Lakeland at Stafford Field Monday, July 1. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Rhinelander began to mount its rally in the third inning as Dylan Webster reached base and scored. The Hodags cut the lead to one in the fourth as West and Trevor Denton reached based to lead off the inning. Both eventually scored, as did Matthew Haselton, who was hit by a pitch and Johnny Baker who singled. Rhinelander nearly tied the game, but Parker Lee was thrown out at the plate, trying to come around after a hit by Tanner Augustine.

The Hodags tied it in the fourth as Carsen Zadnik reached base to lead off the inning and scored and Rhinelander took the lead for good with a five-run sixth inning. Denton, Dervetski and Haselton all reached base to start the inning and came around to score, as did Baker and Lee. Zadnik added a double down the left field line in the frame.

The inning finished just before the Prep League’s two-hour time limit. Haselton came on to pitch the seventh for the Hodags, but walked the two batters he faced. Augustine came in at that point and struck out three straight batters to secure the win. 

Baker, who came on to pitch in the fifth, got the win for Rhinelander. He gave up no runs and no hits, walked two and struck out four over 1 1/3 innings. Dervetski allowed five runs on a hit with three strikeouts over the first two innings. West fanned seven and walked four as he allowed a run on a hit over 2 2/3 innings. 

The Hodags (6-1-1) are scheduled to travel to Eagle River this coming Monday and will close out the season July 15 at home against Tomahawk (6-1) in a game that could decide the Prep League title. 

Rhinelander’s Babe Ruth Senior League team was scheduled to take on Crandon Tuesday at Stafford Field in a game that concluded prior to the early holiday deadline for today’s edition. The Hodags will travel to Eagle River next Tuesday.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].