Babe Ruth Roundup: Senior Leaguers outduel Eagle River

A quartet of Rhinelander pitchers outlasted Eagle River’s Ethan Miller Tuesday as the Hodags scored a 4-1 victory over the Eagles in Northwoods Babe Ruth Senior League play at Stafford Field.

After spotting Eagle River a run in the top of the first, three Rhinelander relievers combined to work six shutout innings and the Hodags scored twice in both the third and fifth innings to seize control of the game. 

    Rhinelander’s Hoyt Dantoin drops down a bunt during the third inning of a Northwoods Babe Ruth Senior League game against Eagle River at Stafford Field Tuesday, June 18. Dantoin drove in a run with the bunt as part of the Hodags’ 4-1 win. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Miller sat down the first six Hodags he faced, but Charlie Johnson got things started for Rhinelander with a leadoff single in the bottom of the third and Henry Schmitz followed with a single to left. Both runners advanced on a passed ball and then Johnson beat a throw to the plate on a bunt by Hoyt Dantoin to get Rhinelander on the board. Two batters later, Douglas Hartmann drove in Schmitz on a ground out, giving the Hodags the lead. 

Rhinelander added to the lead in the third as Parker McCone led off with a double and advanced when Tommy Eades reached on an error. McCone scored on a wild pitch and Eades later came around after the Eagles overthrew on a throw back to third. 

McCone pitched the opening inning for the Hodags and worked out of an early jam. The first four batters reached via two hit batters, a walk and a single, but McCone got out of the inning without any further damage thanks to a pair of strikeouts and a fielder’s choice to the plate. 

After a leadoff walk, Eades worked a scoreless second by striking out three straight batters. Johnson pitched two innings of relief to earn the win. He struck out three and allowed one hit. He worked out of a bases loaded jam in the third by striking out Hunter Tameling. 

Aidan Lueder struck out five over the final three innings to earn the save. He got Miller to pop out to end the fifth after the Eagles got the tying run to third on an Oliver Weberg triple and the go-ahead run to second after Evrett Leslie was hit by pitch and stole second. The Eagles failed to get a runner on base in the sixth and seventh innings. 

Rhinelander outhit Eagle River 4-3 in the contest. McCone, Johnson and Schmitz all finished 1 for 2 with a run scored. Dantoin was 1 for 2 with an RBI and Hartmann added an RBI. 

The win moved Rhinelander to 3-1 in the Senior League, a game and a half behind Crandon (5-0) for first place. The Hodags hosted Tomahawk Thursday in a game that concluded after press time for today’s edition and are scheduled to head to Minocqua to take on Lakeland this coming Tuesday. 

Rhinelander’s Prep League team was scheduled to face Eagle River on Monday, but a score had not been reported prior to press time. The Hodags were at Tomahawk on Wednesday and will travel to Lakeland this coming Monday. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].