RHS Sports recap: Thursday, April 30

Baseball: Rhinelander 2, Tomahawk 0

The Rhinelander High School baseball team remains undefeated (8-0) on the year after beating Tomahawk at Stafford Field Thursday, behind a no-hitter from junior Conner Rappley. 

Rappley had 10 strikeouts, and was able to pick off Hatchet baserunner Wally Horabick after he walked him. Rappley walked three in his second career no-hitter and worked around a pair of Hatchet baserunners who reached on errors. 

Rhinelander went up 1-0 after just two pitches. Abe Gretzinger hit a double on the opening pitch, and Jackson Waydick hit an RBI single on the first pitch of his at-bat after Gretzinger. Waydick was hit in on a double from Rappley to make it 2-0 Rhinelander in the first. The rest of the game was all defense for both teams. 

Waydick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and also stunted a potential Hatchet rally behind the dish, when he popped quickly from his stance to finish off one of Rappley's strikeout victims on a long throw to first base. 

Rhinelander (8-0, 7-0 Great Northern) will travel to Tomahawk tomorrow to complete the series at Kahle Field in Tomahawk.

Softball: Tomahawk 9, Rhinelander 6

The Rhinelander High School softball team fell to the Tomahawk Hatchets on Thursday by a score of 9-6 at Tomahawk High School. 

Rhinelander found themselves down early, the score being 8-2 in favor of the Hatchets by the third inning. One big inning for Tomahawk, coupled with some costly Rhinelander errors, proved to be enough of a buffer to keep the distance down the stretch. The Hodag offense couldn't muster a comeback, even with four runs in the last two innings. 

Ava Rathbun went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run. Saige Mutter was also 2-for-3 and tallied one RBI. 

Aleece Johnson and Kendall Vanney pitched for the Hodags. Johnson started the game and Vanney relieved her in the third. The duo combined for six innings, eight hits, four earned runs, seven walks, and nine strikeouts. 

Rhinelander (8-9, 4-5 GNC) will travel to Antigo on Tuesday May 5 to take on the Red Robins. 

Girls’ soccer: Rhinelander 6, Mosinee 0

The Rhinelander High School girls’ soccer team downed Mosinee 6-0 Thursday night on the road. 

The penalty spot was Rhinelander’s friend in the match. Ella Miljevich and Vivian Lamers both converted penalty kicks as the Hodags lead 2-0 at the half. Miljevich made another PK in the second as she and Lamers both finished with two goals in the contest. 

Kenzie Paulson and Gabby Wanta also scored as the Hodags outshot Mosinee 38-0.

Rhinelander (7-3-0, 6-1-0-0 Great Northern) hosts Hayward on Friday.

Golf: Rhinelander 22nd/24, Battle on the Border

The Rhinelander High School golf team came home 22nd in a 24-team field as the 36-hole Battle on the Border wrapped up Thursday at Troy Byrne Golf Club in Hudson. Round one was contested Wednesday at St. Croix National in Somerset. 

The Hodags shot 697 for the two-day tournament. Chase West led the way with a 29-over score of 172. He shot 87 at St. Croix National and 85 at Troy Byrne. Hank Kowieski had rounds of 89-85 to shoot 174. Blake Petroff shot 175 (85-90), Grant Gremban shot 176 (90-86), Nate Olds shot 195 (98-97) and Drake Nelson shot 204 (106-98).

The Hodags are back home Friday to host the third leg of the GNC tournament at Northwood G.C.

Full reports will be published in Tuesday’s River News.