Rebels get big win in Northwoods rematch

What a difference one week, and a bit of confidence, made for the Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels against Northwoods. 

Seven days after a 3-1 loss to the Eagles in Eagle River, the narrative was completely different this past Wednesday night as the Rebels scored eight times in the sixth inning to win via the run rule, 11-1, in an American Legion game at Stafford Field.

Dylan Vanderbunt struck out five and scattered four hits in the victory and the Hodags played a little small ball to help break the game open. Coming off three resounding wins the previous weekend at home in the Rebel Invite, Rhinelander kept the hammer down on Wednesday.

“The kids are playing very confident right now,” Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. “This is probably the best played ball game, total ball game, that I’ve seen in a lot of years.”

The game was far from decided going into the bottom of the sixth as Landyn Hoeft’s triple and error inside-the-parker cut the Rebels’ advantage to 3-1. Rhinelander responded by pounding out eight hits against two Eagle relievers, including four straight with two out to ultimately help finish the deciding rally. 

Sam Schneider once again carried the big bat for Rhinelander, as he cleared the bases with a slicing double to right that brought in three runs and gave the Rebels an 8-1 lead. Rhinelander followed with three straight singles by Kaden Vanney, Max Ratty and Owen Kurtz to make it 10-1 and then clinched the game via the run rule when pinch runner Conner Augustine stole home as part of a double steal with Kurtz. 

The inning got going with a string of four straight one-out hits. Kurtz singled and then scored on a RBI double by Tyler Chariton. John Turek blooped a single to right and then Chandler Servent bunted his away aboard to load the bases.

“That was really nice pieces of hitting. I do believe some of them were two-strike hits, too. Just very good hitting, aggressive, staying in the zone and hitting the ball hard,” Huhnstock said.

Eagles starter Jonathan Miller did not allow a hit over three innings but still left the mound trailing thanks in part to some small ball and head’s up base running by the Rebels in the third. Turek was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and bunted along by Servent. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Turek sprinted home and beat the throw on a grounder to third by Vanderbunt to put the Rebels on the board. 

Rhinelander’s first hit did not come until the fourth off receiver Aiden Minx. Kurtz bunted a dribbler between the mound and first base to load the bases with nobody out in the frame. The Hodags got one run out of that inning as Turek grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Vanney.

Vanderbunt was hit by a pitch in the fifth, advanced on a Seth Nofftz sacrifice and scored as Sam Schneider laced a triple to right center. Schneider was thrown out at the plate trying to advance after the Eagles made an overthrow on the relay to third. 

“The bats got going but early in the game it was paying attention to small details, getting the bunt game going, moving runners over, that really got us a lead, got us a little momentum,” Huhnstock said. “I think, between Dylan throwing a whale of a game and doing the little things right, changed the game for us.”

    Rhinelander’s Dylan Vanderbunt pitches during the first inning of an American Legion baseball game against Northwoods at Stafford Field Wednesday, June 19. Vanderbunt allowed a run on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks in the Rebels’ 11-1 victory. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Vanderbunt was efficient on the mound, needing only 64 pitches to get through six innings. He did not walk a batter in the game and faced only one over the minimum through the first five frames. Landyn Hoeft singled to start the game, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Otherwise, a Jonah Will single in the second was the only runner Vanderbunt allowed through five innings. 

“That’s what we’re going to look for out of him the rest of this season and I’m sure next year during school ball,” Huhnstock said of Vanderbunt, who will be the most experienced returning pitcher for the program next year. “He has the ability. He just showed it. Now he’s going to get some confidence and we can definitely build on that.” 

Kurtz finished the night with three hits, while Schneider had two and drove in four runs. The Rebels outhit the Eagles, 10-4.

Rhinelander was scheduled to face Everest Friday night, but that game was canceled due to heavy rain. The teams are tentatively looking at a July 10 make-up date and scheduled to face each other again July 19 in Weston.

The Rebels (4-2) traveled to Crandon Monday night in a contest that concluded after press time for today’s edition. That game kicked off a seven-game road trip for the Rebels that will continue tonight at Medford and this coming weekend in the Art Perkins Memorial Invite in Merrill.

“We’re going to be busy coming up and playing some good teams,” Huhnstock said. “That’s what we want. We want to be playing good ball and we want to see how we stack up against good teams.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].