Story By Jeremy Mayo
Alex Henkel made this diving play at third for the Rhinelander Post 7 Rebels Wednesday night at Stafford Field, but too many defensive miscues, especially in the seventh inning game two, cost the Rebels dearly (Casey Mayo photo).
RHINELANDER The Rhinelander Rebel American Legion Baseball Team committed three errors and threw in two wild pitches in the seventh inning of game two Wednesday night as they squandered a three-run lead and lost 8-7 to the Wisconsin Rapids Rangers at Stafford Field.
It completed a doubleheader sweep for Rapids, who behind a one-hit shutout from Dan Britts in game one, beat the Rebels 7-0.
Catcher Joe Zuiker threw to third to try to throw out base stealer Bobby Blom on a 2-2 pitch with two out in the bottom of the seventh and threw it into left field. It was his second error of the inning and allowed the winning run to score.
We've got to eliminate the mistakes if we're going to win close games, said Rebels manager Dan Huhnstock. You cannot give any team any extra outs. We were a play away from winning the game, then we gave them a couple of extra bases. Good teams take advantage of that. We've just got to get a little more mentally tough in those situations and not make the errors.
The inning began as Kyle Comer threw a ground ball from Brad McCarthy away. Jeff Baltus followed with a single. Each advanced on a wild pitch from Troy White. Zuiker tried to throw McCarthy out an third, but threw it away, allowing him to score and Baltus to advancing to third.
White got a ground out to third for the first out of the inning, which kept the scored 7-5, but then issued a walk and an RBI single and was pulled with the lead down to 7-6.
Sam Huebner came on for the save with runners at first and second. He got Bobby Blom to hit into a fielder's choice to short for the second out. But his first pitch to Adam Miner was a fastball low that Zuiker couldn't stop, allowing the tying run to score. Four pitches later the implosion was complete.
While it was a rough finish for Zuiker, he continued to show improvement with the bat in his hands. He went 3-4 with a double and two RBIs in game two. After starting 1-17, he is five for his last seven and has quickly raised his batting average to .250.
Joe's going to turn out to be a fine defensive catcher, Huhnstock said. He needs a little bit more work with blocking skills and stuff and a little bit more experience. His bat's coming around nice. He's a heck of a good little ball player. He'll just mature into a really good ball player down the road.
Rhinelander took the lead in game two in the first as Dan Kellen hit a two-run double of the top of the fence just right of straightaway center. Zuiker drove him in with a double to left two batters later. Rapids tied it in the bottom of the first on a Britts three-run blast that bounced of the top railing of the fence in left-center and hopped over.
Rhinelander retook the lead in the top of the second as Nate Schmidt and Comer hit back-to-back tow out doubles. The score remained that way until the bottom of the fourth when Josh Coyer, one pitch after what was nearly called a third strike looking hit an RBI single up the middle to tie the game 4-4.
Rhinelander got three runs in the fifth. Huebner and Kellen led off with singles. Two batters later Zuiker singled to right, scoring Huebner. The throw from right went up the line and into foul ground, allowing Kellen and Zuiker to advance. Ryan Morris followed it up with a two-run single to put the Rebels ahead 7-4.
That ended the night for Rapids starter Drew Brundage. Rhinelander did not manage a hit off releivers Kade Kolo or Cody Knutson.
That came after a one-hit effort in game one. Kyle Comer's double to right in the third was the only hit of Britts, who struck out six and walked two.
Comer took the loss going six innings, allowing five earned runs.
He threw a very nice game, kept us off balance, Huhnstock said of Britts in game one. You've got to get some runners on and hits in order to win.
The Rebels travel to Merrill Thursday evening.
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BOX SCORE: Rhinelander vs. Wis. Rapids Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Game 1
WR 300 002 2 7 6 2 9
RHI 000 000 0 0 1 1 6
Rhinelander
12 Nate Schmidt SS/P... 0-3
2 Kyle Comer P/SS... 1-3, 2B, 2 K
7 Sam Huebner C... 0-3
6 Dan Kellen CF... 0-1, HBP, BB
32 Micah Baumgartner 1B... 0-3, K, DP
10 Alex Henkel 3B... 0-3, K
23 Lucas Michlig 2B... 0-2, HBP
9 Bryan Kronberger LF... 0-2, BB
21 Ben Prom LF... 0-2, K, SAC
2 Comer (L, 1-2) 6 IP, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 H, 2 K, 7 BB, 3 HB, WP
12 Schmidt... IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 K, BB
Wis. Rapids
11 Cory Esselman CF... 1-1, 2 R, 4 BB, SB
19 Joey Fredrick C... 1-3, RBI, R, BB, HBP, K
20 Jeff Baltus SS... 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R, BB, HBP, K
29 Joe Schuerman 1B... 1-2, RBI, 2 BB
21 Jared Hardina DH... 0-4, K
- 30 Dan Britts P... 0-0
18 Josh Coyer RF... 1-4, K
23 Cody Knutson 2B... 1-4, 2B, R
27 Mike Becker LF... 0-3, 2 R, HBP, K
16 Kade Kolo 2B... 0-2, 2 RBI, 2 SAC
30 Britts (W) 7 IP, 0 R, H, 6 K, 2 BB, 2 HB, WP
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Game 2
RHI 310 030 0 7 9 4 7
WR 300 100 4 8 8 1 6
Rhinelander
12 Schmidt 2B... 1-3, 2B, R, BB, K
2 Comer SS... 1-3, 2B, RBI, R, BB, K
7 Huebner C/3B/P... 1-2, 2 R, 2 BB
- 21 Ben Prom PR... 0-0
6 Kellen CF... 2-2, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
10 Henkel 3B/LF... 0-4, DP
15 Zuiker LF/C... 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
25 Ryan Morris 1B... 1-4, 2 RBI, K
22 Ben Klosiewski RF... 0-3, 3 K
- 32 Micah Baumgartner PH... 0-1, K
8 Troy White P/3B... 0-2, BB, K
8 White... 6.1 IP, 7 R, 4 ER, 8 H, 6 K, 5 BB, WP
7 Huebner (L, 0-1; BS, 1) 0.1 IP, R, 0 ER, 0 H, WP
Wis. Rapids
11 Esselman CF... 0-2, 2 K
- 18 Coyer RF... 1-2, RBI, K
13 Brad McCarthy DH... 0-3, 2 B, BB, K
- 25 Drew Brundage P... 0-0
-- 16 Kolo P... 0-0
--- 23 Knutson P... 0-0
29 Schuerman 1B... 1-3, 2B, R, BB
30 Britts LF/CF... 1-3, HR, 3 RBI, R
- 27 Becker PR... 0-0, R
12 Bobby Blom RF/LF... 1-3, 2B, 2 R, SB
10 Adam Miner 2B... 0-2, BB
- 19 Fredrick PR... 0-0
24 Nick Wittenberg C... 0-2, BB, K, SB, CS
25 Brundage... 4.1 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 9 H, 3 K, 4 BB
16 Kolo... 1.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 K, 3 BB
23 Knutson (W) IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K
Rhinelander (4-6, 2-6 WVLL) at Merrill, 7/1
Wis. Rapids (9-9, 4-4 WVLL) vs. Stevens Point, 7/6
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