RHS Sports recap: Saturday, May 9

Softball: Rhinelander 1-1, Shawano Invite

The Rhinelander High School softball team split its games Saturday in the Shawano quadrangular. The Hodags lost to hosting Shawano 7-1 before holding on for a wild 12-10 victory over Waupaca in the nightcap. 

The Hawks used a six-run second inning to break open the early game and the teams traded runs in the sixth inning. Maddie Paulson singled and scored on a Saige Mutter fielder’s choice to play the Hodags’ lone run. The Hodags had six hits against Shawano, including two by Cassidy Lindner. Aleece Johnson allowed seven runs on 12 hits with six strikeouts in the loss.

Rhinelander used a seven-run fourth inning to take a 10-0 lead on Waupaca, but nearly gave that up that entire advantage and the Comets scored six times in the bottom of the inning and closed to within 11-10 after six innings. Mutter hit an RBI single in the seventh and the Hodags worked around a two-out single to earn the win. 

The Hodags had 12 hits in the game, including three from Kadyn Taylor and two by Kendall Vanney. Vanney took the win in the circle, allowing six runs on five hits over four innings with six walks and three strikeouts. Johnson earned the save, giving up four runs on three hits over the final three innings.

Rhinelander (10-11, 4-6 Great Northern) travels to Medford on Monday.

Golf: Rhinelander at Merrill Best Ball Invite

Rhinelander’s top four golfers teed it up Saturday in a non-conference invite at Merrill in which players  were put in teams of two to compete in a mix of scramble, best ball and alternate-shot formats. 

Chase West and Grant Gremban were Rhinelander’s top pair on the day, shooting 1-over 73 to tie for 14th overall on the day. Hank Kowieski and Blake Petroff shot 76 and tied for 17th.

The Hodags are back in action Monday in the fifth leg of the GNC golf tournament in Medford.

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