Rhinelander softball splits on opening day

The Rhinelander High School softball team opened its season Thursday, March 26 by splitting a pair of non-conference games in the Hodag Dome.

Rhinelander defeated Crandon 7-3 in the opener before falling to Crivitz 3-1 in the nightcap. 

Overall, coach Ali Bender said she was satisfied with the first day of games. The Hodags were able to identify the improvements needed for the rest of the season and also take away from the positives. 

“All around, everyone did a nice job,” she said. 

Rhinelander 7, Crandon 3

    Rhinelander’s Kadyn Taylor makes contact on a pitch during the second inning of a non-conference softball game against Crandon in the Hodag Dome Thursday, March 26. Taylor drove in three runs in the Hodags’ 7-3 win. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

After a scoreless first two innings, the Hodags broke things opening with four runs in the third.  

Ava Rathbun started the third inning rally with a single and scored when Kendall Vanney reached on an error. Kadyn Taylor came up with the bases loaded and cleared them with a two-run single. Vanney plated a third run on the play after the ball was misplayed in right field. 

The Hodags added two runs in the fifth with an additional RBI from Taylor and another from Maddie Paulson, who bunted in hers. 

“(Paulson) played a really, really solid second base. She came in and had a huge bunt in our first game,” Bender said. 

Hodags tallied one more run in as Aleece Johnson reached on an infield hit with two outs and scored all the way from first when Cassidy Lindner reached on an error.

Johnson pitched a complete game for the Hodags, allowing four hits and two walks, striking out 12. She allowed single runs to the Cardinals in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. Only two of the runs were earned.

Crivitz 7, Rhinelander 1

Crivitz, and pitcher Taryn Tracy, overpowered the Hodags in the second game. Tracy fanned 12 as the Hodags dropped the second game. 

Overall, Bender said one of the main things her team will work on moving forward is hitting. Rhinelander also struck out 11 times in the opening game against the Cardinals.

“Being more aggressive, not watching a third strike on the outside corner, just tweaking some of those things,” she said. “I think a lot of it’s a mental game.”

Rhinelander’s sole run came on an RBI double from Saige Mutter in the fourth inning. It was one of only of only three hits for the Hodags in game two. 

Vanney went 1-for-2 with a single. Her courtest runner, Lola Beach, scored on Mutter’s double after reaching on an error that inning. Freshman Karsen Schallock recorded her first career hit in the sixth inning. 

Crivitz jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the Hodags, scoring a run in the first and three more in the third. The Wolverines tacked on three more in the fifth, including a leadoff home run by Kiya Brand, who went 3-for-3 in the game and finished a triple short of the cycle. 

Vanney pitched five innings in the loss, allowing seven runs, three earned on 10 hits. She walked four and struck out two. 

Schallock worked a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, with one strikeout.

The second game was called after six innings due to a pre-determined 90-minute time limit. Still, the Hodags had a chance to get a number of underclassmen into the game late in the contest. Bender noted that these first games showed a lot about the program’s potential as a whole. She was able to play each of her 25 athletes and get a feel for where she can put each player to give the team the best chance at success. 

“It was really nice to see everybody in action today,” she said noting that the game action helped her set her varsity and a junior varsity rosters. Since Bender started in 2024, a full-fledged JV team is something the Hodag softball program has not had. 

Moving forward

The Hodags were back in action Saturday and Sunday, playing three games in the Danny Mac Invite that concluded after press time for today’s edition. Visit RiverNewsOnline.com for a recap of those contests and read a full report in Friday’s River News.

The Hodags are slated to start Great Northern Conference play this week, traveling to Lakeland this afternoon or heading to Medford on Thursday. As of press time, there was no determination as to whether those games would take place as schedule, be moved to the Hodag Dome or postponed to a later date.

Bender said the five non-conference games leading into GNC play were important in terms of seeing live pitching, and now that the team has more depth in the pitching staff, she hopes another thing that can propel the team. 

“I think (the players) just actually seeing more live balls is going to help as well,” she said. Whether it’s in games or practice, “the more at bats they get, the better that’s going to be.” 

Blake Richard may be reached via email at [email protected].