Hodag baseball drops pitchers duel at Tomahawk 1-0

TOMAHAWK — The Rhinelander High School baseball team could not figure out Tomahawk righty Brody Rigney Friday night as it dropped a pitchers’ duel 1-0 to the Hatchets at Kahle Field.

Rigney struck out only three batters over seven innings, but kept the Hodags off-balance most of the night, limiting the Hodags to four hits. While Tomahawk had only two hits in the game, they came back-to-back in the third inning and led to the game’s only run.

“We just didn’t do enough, you know, at all facets to get the victory,” Hodag coach Joe Waksmonski said. “Offensively it was very disappointing at the plate.”

A combination of Rigney, and strong defense, kept the Hodags from getting anything going much of the night. Rigney faced just two batters over the minimum through the first six innings, getting the Hodags to hit a number of playable fly balls on a cool night with the wind blowing in from right field. 

“He was throwing fastballs and curveballs, but, especially the first time through the order, we saw it coming, but we did not put very good swings on the pitches,” Waksmonski said. “It wasn’t until the second or third time through that we start to get a little better swings, but, you know, then we were hitting fly balls in the outfield and we just didn’t make enough adjustments tonight to stay ahead.”

The lack of run support spoiled a strong outing for sophomore Conner Rappley, who struck out nine in a tough luck loss. Ultimately, a two-out rally against him in the third proved to be the difference. Brody Hilgendorf drew a four-pitch walk, followed by a bleeder to shortstop by Brayden Larson for an infield hit. Cash Olsen then hit a line drive double down the third-base line to plate the only run.

Those were the only two hits Rappley allowed as he worked around five walks in the game.

“Conner pitched a whale of the game. I mean, he was on it tonight. That was great to see Conner throw the way he did,” Waksmonski said.

The few times Rhinelander had momentum offensively, it seemed to be squashed quickly. Dylan Vanderbunt reached on a dropped pop-up and stole second in the first, but Seth Nofftz popped out to short and Rowan Wiczek flew out to center to end that threat. 

    Rhinelander’s Dylan Vanderbunt slides into third base as Tomahawk’s Brody Hilgendorf receives a throw during the fourth inning of a GNC baseball game in Tomahawk Friday, May 2. Vanderbunt was thrown out as part of a double play in a game the Hodags lost, 1-0. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Vanderbunt doubled to lead off the fourth and tried to advance to third as Nofftz flew out to right, but was thrown out on a perfectly executed relay.

Nofftz singled to lead off the seventh inning, but was erased on the next pitch as Rowan Wiczek grounded sharply to short, leading to a tailor-made double play.

“When they had to make a play tonight defensively, they made the play,” Waksmonski said.

Rappley singled and Sawyer Bishop walked with two out in the seventh to give Rhinelander one final gasp, but Tyler Chariton flew out to the warning track in left to end the contest — the 11th and final flyball out Rigney recorded in the game.

“He definitely hit it well, but again, and we’ve talked about this a lot, it’s hard to hit a baseball far in the air in northern Wisconsin in (early spring),” Waksmonski said. “So, we just talked about making the adjustments that you have to do with your swing, that hit line drives and, you know, we just didn’t do it enough tonight.”

Vanderbunt struck out two batters and worked around a two-out error as he worked a scoreless sixth inning for the Hodags. 

Rhinelander (5-6, 2-4 Great Northern) has dropped four straight games, all in conference play. The Hodags traveled to D.C. Everest Monday in a game that concluded after press time. The Hodags are home to take on Antigo this evening and will travel to Eagle River Friday to take on Northland Pines. 

“I think the positive going forward is the weather’s going to be nicer and, we are a good hitting ball club,” Waksmonski said. “Even though we’re hitting these flyball outs, eventually, we’re going to start driving the ball a little bit more and warmer weather. We’re hoping that’s going to happen to start next week.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].