STAR JOURNAL

The Rhinelander High School baseball team broke open a one-run lead by scoring five times in the fourth inning and ended up Thursday with a 9-1 home victory over Lakeland Union High School.

The Hodags’ Jacob DeMeyer pitched the first six innings without giving up a run and recorded the victory, allowing only two hits with five walks while striking out 11. Brandon Hess came in to pitch the top of the seventh for RHS and gave up an earned run on a hit with a strikeout.

Brett Slavinsky started on the mound for the Thunderbirds and lasted four-plus innings when he picked up the loss, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits with four walks and striking out three. Jamie Slavinsky closed out the final two innings for LUHS, giving up two more earned runs on three hits with two walks and a hit batter.

Nine of RHS’s 12 hits came from four batters. Bradley Comer tallied three singles and drove in three runs. Tait Spencer and Brandon Reinthaler added two singles apiece and both drove in two runs. Brad Quade recorded two singles with an RBI.

Tyler Blomdahl picked up the Hodags’ only multiple-base hit of the game when he doubled in the bottom of the fourth when RHS sent 10 batters to the plate. DeMeyer and Matt Rudolph each singled.

The Thunderbirds’ got two of their three hits in the third inning when Jesse Armstrong led off with a double before advancing to third on a bunt single by Gunnar Weitz. However, they were left stranded on base. Brett Slavinsky singled in the top of the seventh when LUHS scored its 0nly run.

The Hodags improved their season record to 4-3 in the Great Northern Conference and 9-4 overall, while the Thunderbirds dropped to 3-5 in league play and 5-8 overall.

RHS 9, LUHS 1

LUHS      0-0-0 0-0-0 1 – 1   3 1

RHS         0-0-1 5-3-0 X – 9 12 1

WP–Jacob DeMeyer; LP–Brett Slavinsky