RHS improves to 4-0 in GNC

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

The Rhinelander High School varsity boys baseball team finally got to play a home game for the first time this season Tuesday when the Hodags remained undefeated in the Great Northern Conference with a 9-3 victory at Stafford Field over Northland Pines.

RHS, which led 6-0 after three innings, got on the scoreboard with three runs in the bottom of the first when Brad Quade singled to drive home Jacob DeMeyer, Tyler Blomdahl reached base on a fielder’s choice and stole home and Cole Spaulding grounded out to bring home Quade.

Blomdahl singled in the bottom of the second to score DeMeyer for the Hodags’ only run that inning.

RHS added two runs in the third inning when Spaulding led off with a single and scored on a single by Alec Modrow before Tait Spencer stole home after being walked.

The Eagles tallied their first run in the top of the fourth after Tucker Wittkopf reached base on an error and scored on a single by Hunter Kaehler.

The Hodags picked up an unearned run in the fourth inning when Brad Comer reached base on an error and scored. That was the last inning for Northland Pines starting pitcher Isaac Haiduk, who recorded the loss after giving up three earned runs out of the seven scored on five hits with four walks while striking out five.

DeMeyer pitched his final inning in the top of the fifth and earned the win after allowing an unearned run on four hits with a walk while striking out nine.

RHS tallied its final two runs in the bottom of the fifth off of the Eagles’ reliever, Kaehler, when DeMeyer walked and scored and Comer singled and scored.

Matthew Rudolph pitched the final two innings for the Hodags and gave up two runs in the top of the seventh on a single by the Eagles’ Zach Ciran.

RHS ending up outhitting Northland Pines, 6-5, with Spaulding recording two singles and being the only player on either team to tally more than one hit. One key statistic in the game’s outcome was the number of errors with the Eagles having 10 fielding miscues compared to only one for the Hodags.

RHS improved its season record to 4-0 in the GNC and 7-2 overall going into Thursday’s home game against Medford.

Hodags 9, Eagles 3

Eagles   0-0-0 1-0-0 2 – 3 5 10

Hodags 3-1-2 1-2-0 X – 9 6 1

WP–Jacob DeMeyer; LP–Isaac Haiduk