Babe Ruth Roundup

Big innings early and late were not enough for Rhinelander Tuesday night as it fell to Lakeland-1 16-11 in a Northwoods Babe Ruth Prep League game at Stafford Field.

The Hodags scored five runs each in the first and sixth innings, but it was all Lakeland in between as the T-Birds scored seven times in the second inning to take an 8-1 lead, added five more runs in the third and three insurance runs in the top of the sixth. 

Rhinelander had plenty of offense in the game. All 12 players in the lineup either got a hit, had at least one RBI or scored a run. Things got going in the first as Jaxon West walked and then stole three bases to put the Hodags on the board. Ben Rexford added an RBI single and scored on a passed ball and Emmitt Webster had a two-run single later in the inning.

Rhinelander tacked on another run in the second to trim the lead to 8-6 as Brayden Herrmann drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI single by West.

The Hodags, down 16-6 going to the bottom of the sixth — the final inning after the game crossed over the Prep League’s two-hour time limit — made things interesting. Carter Bell walked and scored on a single by Webster. Jaxson Kremer, Herrmann and Parker Lee added RBI singles and Kremer stole home as part of a double steal with Herrmann. A couple of strikeouts finally ended the Hodags’ rally.

Offensively West, Emmitt Webster and Herrmann all went 2-2 in the contest. Webster drove in three runs while West and Herrmann both had one RBI. Rexford, Collin Jorata, Kremer, Lee and Mason Hauser all added hits for the Hodags. 

West took the loss for Rhinelander. He gave up 13 runs on seven hits over three innings with nine walks and six strikeouts. Rexford pitched the final three innings, allowing three runs on three hits with four strikeouts. 

Rhinelander was scheduled to be back in action Wednesday at home against Tomahawk in a game that concluded after press time for today’s edition. The Hodags will face Lakeland-2 in Minocqua on Monday and return to Minocqua this coming Wednesday for a rematch with Lakeland-1.