Hodag softball topples Pines 21-0

The Rhinelander High School softball team snapped its three-game losing streak in emphatic fashion Monday night in the Hodag Dome.

Rhinelander scored 14 times in the first inning, and seven more in the second, as it defeated Northland Pines 21-0 in a game that was called after three innings due to the mercy rule. 

The Hodags (7-4, 3-0 Great Northern) feasted while the winless Eagles (0-5, 0-3 Great Northern) struggled to put the ball over the plate. After dropping three games over the weekend in Mauston, Rhinelander coach Ali Bender said it was good for her team to get back on track. 

“When we talked about rescheduling today, we were thinking about how do we get back on track with the winning streak,” she said, noting that the game was moved up a day, and inside to the Hodag Dome with the Haug Family diamonds not yet ready for play and the dome already booked for Tuesday. “And I think, you know, it just so happened to be that we were playing a team that we knew, hopefully, that if we played a solid game and we pitched well, we could come out and beat. And that’s just what we did.

“I think that was a good confidence booster again for these girls, especially after this weekend. You know, you go down three, and now we’re looking back at a season where we’re  (around) .500, but to get back on that winning streak before we head to Merrill’s huge.” 

The Hodags batted through the order twice in the first inning, sending 19 batters to the plate in all. Maddie Paulson led things off with a double and scored on a wild pitch. Saige Mutter added an RBI ground-rule double and Nevaeh Anderson had a two-run single the first time through the order. Beginning with Paulson, eight straight batter either drew walks or hit batters with the bases loaded as the lead ballooned to 12-0. Aleece Johnson reached on a two-out error, allowing Anderson and Ava Rathbun to come home and round out the scoring for the inning. 

Rhinelander strung together five hits in the second inning, including RBI singles from Mutter, Anderson and pinch hitter Karsen Shallock. Shallock’s hit plated a second run after a late throw to first went up the line, allowing Anderson to score. Paulson, Ruby Plamann and Mutter all drew bases-loaded free passes before the Hodags put a stop to the inning, having Paulson intentionally lead off early for the final out. 

Bender said Rhinelander’s approach changed as the game progressed. The Hodags wanted to be smart at the plate —Pines pitchers Jordan Cain and Katie Baril combined for 17 free passes via either walks or hit batters — but they still wanted to attack when they got a pitch to hit. 

“After the first inning, we talked about, ‘OK, now we’re gonna hit around. You have to hit to advance those runners and how are we gonna do doing that,’” Bender said. “And we did a pretty good job overall. One thing I’m really proud of tonight is that we didn’t get into that slump of just swinging at everything, like we have in the past. We actually still watched. Is it a strike or is it a ball? If it’s a strike, I’m going after it. We’re not gonna just watch it until they walk us, and we’re still gonna put balls in play.”

    Rhinelander’s Nevaeh Anderson hits an RBI single during the second inning of a GNC softball game against Northland Pines in the Hodag Dome Monday, April 13. Anderson went 2 for 2 with 4 RBIs in the Hodags’ 21-0 win. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Anderson and Mutter each finished 2 for 2 with 4 RBIs in the contest. Paulson and Plamann each drove in a pair of runs. 

On the other side, Johnson breezed through a 47-pitch effort without allowing a hit. She struck out seven and walked two to pick up the win. Pines did get runners in scoring position with less than two outs in each of the first two innings. Taytum Mullins walked and stole second in the first before Johnson struck out Olivia Asbury and Izzy Stenschke in order to retire the side. Aubrie Gosnell got to second on a error with one out in the second, but Johnson froze Lily Wilson and then got Ellie Matens to hit a ground ball back to the circle to end that threat. 

The Hodags were set to put their unbeaten streak in the GNC on the line against Merrill on the road Thursday afternoon. That game concluded after press time for today’s edition. Visit RiverNewsOnline.com for a recap of that contest and read a full report in Tuesday’s River News. 

Rhinelander is back home Monday afternoon to host Tomahawk in a make-up of a game that was originally scheduled for April 7 and will travel to reigning conference champion Mosinee on Tuesday.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].