Bats power Rib Lake to a quick first win

RIB LAKE SOFTBALL

The Rib Lake softball team secured its first win of the new season Monday, using two big innings to earn an early 17-2 knockout of Prentice in Marawood North play.

The Lady Redmen scored seven runs in the second inning and put the 15-run rule into effect with an eight-run third to improve to 1-3 for the season. Prentice remained winless at 0-5 in league play and overall.

Pitcher Emily Rodman allowed just one hit in the three-inning game, though it produced the only runs Prentice scored. Lydia Harding hit a twoout, two-run single in the top of the third driving in two runners who had walked. Rodman struck out three batters in the win, walked three and hit one.

Defensively, Rib Lake did not commit an error and got a nice catch from centerfielder Leah Chmielowiec on a long drive hit by Harding to end the top of the first.

Offensively, the Redmen got two first-inning runs but really started clicking the second time through the lineup against Prentice starter Leah Nehls.

Rib Lake head coach Craig Scheithauer said the team’s pre-game discussion centered on being patient at the plate.

“We said don’t get yourself out by swinging at bad pitches,” Scheithauer said. “Wait for good pitches to hit. And we wanted to be aggressive running the bases. When we showed patience at the plate, we started to see results.”

In the bottom of the first, Addison Gumz led off with a single and walks by Josie Scheithauer and Danielle Mann loaded the bases with no outs. Thums got Kyla Kennedy to pop out to third, but Molly Heiser walked to drive in a run and Rhonnie Jo Scheithauer’s fielder’s choice scored the other run.

The seven-run second inning got off to a big start with the first seven batters getting on base. Chmielowiec singled up the middle and Kiana Dallmann put down a perfect bunt along the thirdbase line for a base hit. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a Gumz single to center. Gumz went to second on an error. Josie Scheithauer and Mann walked again to load the bases. This time, Kennedy came through, lining a two-run double to the leftfield corner. Heiser singled in courtesy runner Tracey Schmidt to make it 7-0. With one out, Rodman stuck out on a dropped third strike but an errant throw to first, allowed her to get to second base and the Kennedy and Heiser scored.

Gumz led off the third with a single that just escaped the glove of centerfi elder Lydia Holm. She stole third and scored on Mann’s one-out single. Singles by Kennedy and Heiser loaded the bases for Rhonnie Jo Schiethauer, who smoked a single to right to score two runs and make it 12-2.

“Addison had three hits for us and that’s why we have her in the leadoff spots,” coach Scheithauer said. “She does a good job of putting the ball in play and has good speed. Actually almost everyone got on base twice.”

Leah Thums relieved Nehls and walked Rodman to re-load the bases for Chmielowiec, who singled again to plate two more. Gumz was hit by a two-out pitch, setting up a two-run single by Josie Scheithauer. Prentice did not record an out on Kennedy’s fielder’s choice, allowing the 17th run to score and end the game.

Rib Lake finished with 13 hits. Gumz went three for three out of the leadoff spot, drove in two and scored four times. Kennedy was two for four and drove in three. Heiser was two for two with an RBI. Chmieolwiec was two for three with two RBIs. Mann walked three times and had a hit to reach base in all four of her plate appearances.

Rib Lake’s planned trip to Spencer on Saturday was canceled. The team gets a rematch with Prentice today, Thursday, on the Bucs’ home field at 4:45 p.m. Auburndale’s visit to Rib Lake Friday has been canceled to allow Auburndale to make up a Marawood South game with Wisconsin Rapids Assumption. As of mid-week, Rib Lake was actively seeking a replacement game.

Next week features a non-conference trip to Columbus Catholic on Monday, a non-conference home game with Butternut- Mercer on Tuesday and a crossover trip to Newman Catholic on May 6.

“This was a good confidence builder,” Scheithauer said. “This was an opponent we felt we should beat, but we also played well. We did a lot of good things. A game like that builds confidence. We haven’t had a whole lot of time on the field and we’re not going to get many more practice days, so we’re going to be learning on the fly at times. Our goal is to improve game by game.”