Early and late scoring enough to keep No. 2 Hodag baseball undefeated

The Rhinelander High School baseball team continued its undefeated season with a pair of road wins early this week. The first came over non-conference Wausau East at Wausau East High School on Monday by a score of 9-2. On Tuesday, GNC opponent Antigo fell to the Hodags 4-1 at Kretz Brothers Park in Antigo.

The Hodags (11-0, 9-0 Great Northern) moved up to No. 2 in the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association’s Division 2 coaches poll this week. Despite being unable to find the gaps in the field in the middle of each game, early and late scoring by Rhinelander, coupled with a strong defense, the Hodags were still able to come out on the winning side. They committed zero errors in their conference contest with Antigo. 

“It didn’t hurt us, but it’d be nice to find some holes on a couple of those,” head coach Joe Waksmonski said. 

Rhinelander 9, Wausau East 2

Five runs in the first helped propel the Hodags on Monday against the Lumberjacks.

The offense got started early, with the first inning score highlighted by a two-run home run to left field by Jackson Waydick that put the Hodags up 2-0 early. Following the homer, back-to-back singles from Rowan Wiczek and Conner Rappley left an opportunity for Vince White when they both stole a base to wind up on second and third. White made it 4-0 when he sent a single to left, and scored a run on a wild pitch for the final tally of the inning. 

“We started right off the bat with five runs in the first inning, even before we had two outs,” Waksmonski said.  “It was 11-straight that went down in order right after that. So, you know, great that we have the five runs right off the bat, but then, like I said, it was just uncharacteristic of us to go 11-straight without getting on base. But then the fifth inning we were able to push across three runs, we started hitting again ... forced a couple mistakes by them and (were) able to put three on the board.”  

In the fifth, Abe Gretzinger was plunked as he led off the top of the inning, before scoring by way of Wiczek’s hit to right. Rappley grounded out to bring Waydick across the plate after Waydick singled. Sawyer Bishop smoked one up the middle to score Wiczek. 

Wausau East answered with a pair in the bottom half, but the sixth saw another score for the Hodags when Waydick hit a ground rule double to send Hoyt Dantoin around the bases and home. 

Despite dropping 11-straight at-bats after the initial spark in the first, Rhinelander was held steady in the field by starting pitcher Waydick. 

“Overall, Jackson threw well,” Waksmonski said of his junior. “He navigated through some traffic in just about every inning.” 

The traffic for the Hodags usually started with two outs, and some defensive miscues extended innings for Waydick, Waksmonski added. 

“Usually we got the first two guys out in the inning, and then, they would have a little bloop hit here, or something happen here, or walk and they had some traffic and Jackson was able to work out of the jams.”

Waydick finished five innings with six strikeouts and four walks while allowing two runs on five hits. He was relieved by Wiczek in the sixth, who struck out five of the eight he faced in the final two innings. He gave up a hit and a walk. 

Rhinelander 4, Antigo 1

The Hodag bats produced a run during the first inning of the conference game against Antigo, but couldn’t muster any more runs until the fifth and sixth. 

The defense kept the Red Robin scoring to a minimum to give the Hodags a chance to pull away later in the game. Their defensive play was highlighted with the completion of a double play in the fourth to erase the threat of Jordan Pregler scoring after he laced a double to left. 

“We made most of the routine plays,” Waksmonski said. “Any ball that we could get to, we got to. Abe (Gretzinger) had a nice game at shortstop. I know he had three or four assists over there. And even the right side, Josh Willoughby, Sawyer (Bishop) had a couple hard hit balls they were able to corral and get the out.”

In the first, Gretzinger scored after tagging on a shot from Wiczek. Gretzinger returned the sacrifice fly favor when he scored Willoughby in the fifth. Bishop scored on a triple by White in the sixth, and White scored on a final sacrifice fly by Charlie Johnson. 

Johnson played nearly the entire game at third base, but was called to the bump for the final out due to White reaching the pitch count limit. With the tying run at the plate, Johnson battled in an eight pitch at-bat, eventually striking out Scott Hagerty on a curveball to earn the save.

Prior to Johnson, White spun curveballs of his own to minimize the scoring of Antigo. 

“He had a good curveball going,” Waksmonski said. “He was keeping them off balance tonight.”

 Waksmonski added that, “there were a couple moments where, you know, (White would) throw three or four balls in a row, but then he was able to correct himself and get himself back into a groove.”

White’s final groove produced eight strikeouts with three walks, allowing one run on six hits. 

With Merrill’s 1-0 victory over Northland Pines in a perfect game from Cameron Wallin on May 5, the Hodags are now two games ahead of second place in the GNC as of press time for this edition.

They’ll play Northland Pines tonight in Eagle River.

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