Babe Ruth Roundup

Rhinelander fell behind early Tuesday night and could not recover in a 12-2 loss to first-place Crandon in Northwoods Babe Ruth Senior League play at Stafford Field.

The Hodags spotted the Cardinals five runs over the first two innings, left a number of runs on the table early in the going and watched Crandon pull away to a run-rule victory thanks to a five-spot in the fifth. 

Rhinelander managed only one hit off a quintet of Crandon pitchers. Parker McCone hit a two-out RBI single to score Douglas Hartmann in the second inning. Rhinelander left runners on the corners that inning after Aidan Lueder grounded out to second. 

The Hodags had life again in the third after Aden Flannery drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded to plate Ryley Hull and cut the lead to 6-2, but Tommy Eades popped out to end that threat. The Hodags also stranded the bases loaded in the first inning of the contest after back-to-back strikeouts by Weston Kibler and Hull. 

Eades took the loss for Rhinelander. He allowed five runs on three hits with four walks and a strikeout over the first two innings. Blake Bauer worked the third and the fourth allowed a pair of runs on three this with three strikeouts. 

Lueder recorded four strikeouts in the fifth inning, but two of those ended up in the dirt and allowed runners to reach base. Crandon scored five times off of him with only one hit in the inning. 

The loss dropped Rhinelander to 5-3 in the Senior League standings while Crandon moved to 7-0. The Hodags are on the road this evening at Eagle River and will close out the season Thursday at home against Lakeland.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].