Rebels drop back to back games

The Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels were unable to keep the momentum going early this week as they began a seven-game road trip that coincides with some of the toughest competition on its schedule.

Ultimately a couple of big innings proved to be the difference as the Rebels gave up four runs in the fourth inning Monday in a 5-2 loss at Crandon and conceded a six-spot in the third Tuesday in a 12-7 loss to Medford in Whittlesey. 

Tuesday night’s game could have been much more lopsided after the Hodags walked 10 batters over the first three innings and spotted the Raiders a 12-0 lead after four. Rhinelander was one strike away from being run-ruled in the fifth inning before stringing together a rally that included three extra base hits and the team’s first home run of the season, off the bat of Tyler Chariton. 

“I was really proud of the boys,” Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock said. “We talked about it before the fourth and fifth innings. We needed to start changing the momentum a little bit, go up there and have quality at bats. I said, ‘I don’t care what the score is right now, we just have to have good, quality at-bats, some competitive at bats.’”

Dylan Vanderbunt kept the Hodags alive, fending off an 0-2 count with the bases empty and two out to draw a seven-pitch walk that kept the game going. 

John Turek followed with a single to left and Sam Schneider beat out a throw to first after a bobbled ground ball to short to set up Kaden Vanney, who laced a bases-clearing double to left center to drive in the game-extending run. 

Chariton followed with a two-run blast to left center and, following a Conner Augustine walk, Oscar Hanson ripped a double to left that cut Medford’s lead to 12-6. 

The Rebels did all the damage off reliever Carson Carbaugh, who lasted an inning and a third. He came in after starter JV Castillo worked four scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out five. 

“The bats just seemed to come alive,” Huhnstock said. “They put the other pitcher in and I think the guys had a little bit more confidence. The first guy that pitched. He was throwing a really, really good game. With a younger squad I think we were maybe a little overmatched with it, just couldn’t break through on him, but once they brought in the other pitcher then things started going our way a little bit more.”

Rhinelander tacked on one more in the sixth as Vanney singled home Turek and the Rebels got the tying run to the on-deck circle in the seventh after loading the bases with one out, but Turek ground into a double play to end the rally.

Ultimately, Rhinelander dug itself too large of a deficit as starter Dylan Vanderbunt walked five over 2 1/3 innings before being lifted at 74 pitches to ensure he was eligible to pitch this coming Saturday at the Merrill Invite. Castillo hit a two-run double off of him in the second while Parker Lissner and Carbaugh both added an RBI singles to give Medford a 4-0 lead. 

Reliever Oscar Hanson inherited a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third and struggled with command. Three runs scored off of wild pitches, he also had a pair of bases-loaded walks. The only out he recorded was a sacrifice fly by Lissner as Medford made it 10-0 before the Rebels went to Sam Schneider out of the bullpen. 

“It’s a tough case for him to come in cold. He’s not used to that. He’s used to being able to get loose before he comes in a game and he just couldn’t find it. He didn’t get a good feel for any of his pitches,” Huhnstock said.

Schneider allowed a two-run single to Braxton Weissmiller in the fourth, the only runs he allowed over the final 3 1/3 innings. 

Crandon 5, Rhinelander 2

    Rhinelander’s Conner Augustine slides around a tag attempt by Crandon’s Cruz Palubicki during the fifth inning of an American Legion baseball game at Crandon Monday, June 24. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

One inning ultimately proved to be the difference Monday in a defensive affair as the Rebels lost by three runs at Crandon. Crandon scored four times in the fourth as the first six batters of the inning reached safely, which proved to be the difference in the game.

Maverik Mayer was hit by a pitch to start the inning, followed by a bloop single to right by Caden Palubicki and back-to-back walks to Ryan Schunk and Carsyn Mayer that forced in a run. Trent Palubicki then ground into a potential double play ball, but Seth Nofftz was unable to grab Augustine’s throw to second, allowing two runs to score and Walker Winkleman added an RBI single to make it 4-0.

“It’s not like they hit the ball hard off of our pitchers. They had a couple of them that just found the green out there and then a couple of missed plays on our part. All of a sudden, they got four on the board,” Huhnstock said. 

Otherwise, it was a pitchers’ duel between the sides. Max Ratty allowed four runs on three hits with four strikeouts over four innings and Vanney pitched two innings of relief, allowing an unearned run in the fifth and striking out three. 

Schunk allowed two runs over five innings for Crandon, striking out three. Rhinelander loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth and scored twice on sacrifice flies by Nofftz and Schneider. Mason Mullins scattered three hits over the final two innings of scoreless relief.

Rhinelander outhit Crandon 5-3 in the contest.

“We had some really nice pitching form Max and Kaden tonight,” Huhnstock said. “Didn’t do enough offensively. We left nine guys on base, just couldn’t come up with that clutch hit or even a ball in play at the right time.”

Up next

Rhinelander (4-4) will take part in its second and final weekend tournament of the regular season beginning tonight as it takes part in the Art Perkins Memorial in Merrill. 

Rhinelander is slated to open against hosting Merrill Post 46 this evening at Athletic Park. The Rebels will then face Wittenberg-Birnamwood and Chippewa Falls tomorrow before closing the invite Sunday against Altoona. 

“It’s definitely going to be a tournament where we’re going to have to play our A game every game otherwise we’re going to get beat,” Huhnstock said. “They’re all traditionally strong squads. It should be a very competitive tournament. Hopefully we go down there and have a lot of fun.” 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].