ABBY 14, MEDFORD 3 - Abbotsford jumps ahead early, takes care of Moondogs in 7

ABBY 14, MEDFORD 3

The Medford Moondogs played tight games with two of the Dairyland League’s top contenders in the Small Division –– Rib Lake and Interwald –– the previous two Sundays, but their home opener this past Sunday against another contender, Abbotsford, wasn’t as close.

The Merchants used a five-run second inning and a three-run fourth to put Sunday’s game out of reach quickly in what turned out to be a 14-3 final in seven innings in a game played at Jaycee Field.

Abbotsford bumped to 3-1 in the division, good for a second-place tie with Interwald and Westboro midway through the season. Medford fell to 0-4.

Abbotsford outhit Medford 13-8 and took advantage of nine walks while staying within striking distance of 5-0 Rib Lake in the division. The Merchants got three hits from Blake Bargender and Wayne Jakobi, while Payton Schreiber allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts, three walks and one hit batter in a four-inning start. Aaron Morrow struck out five over the last three innings, walking three while allowing two hits and a run while hitting a batter.

The Moondogs got two hits apiece from Josh Turner, Max Dietzman and Trent Klemm, the third, fourth and fifth hitters in their batting order.

Medford starter Gavin Fuchs pitched out of the first inning with minimal damage as Blake Jakobi led off with a single, stole second base and scored on Bargender’s single down the leftfield line. Fuchs and the Moondogs weren’t as fortunate in the top of the second.

Wayne Jakobi hit a one-out double to the gap in left-center and Arturo Lopez walked. Blake Jakobi lined out to left for the second out, but a walk to Bargender loaded the bases for Schreiber, who appeared to have swung at strike three on a ball that got by Turner, the catcher. But the umpire ruled Schreiber foul tipped the pitch. He walked on the next pitch to force in a run. Lucas Stahnke then singled in two runs and Jase Apfelbeck doubled to deep left to score two more and suddenly make it 6-0.

Abbotsford took advantage of a couple of errors and a wild pitch to go up 9-1 in the top of the fourth. Medford had two chances to close the gap in the first four innings. The Moondogs got leadoff singles from Dietzman and Klemm in the second, but Roy Stinson grounded into a double play. Dietzman wound up scoring on a wild pitch, but that was all Medford got. In the fourth, the Moondogs loaded the bases with no outs on a double by Klemm, single by Stinson and a walk to Brett Paul. But Schreiber struck out three of the next four hitters, hitting Jason Lang in between, to keep it a 9-2 game.

Fuchs walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the sixth to make it 11-3. Abbotsford put the 10-run rule into effect in the top of the seventh, getting a runscoring double from Bargender, a runscoring groundout from Stahnke for his third RBI of the game and an RBI single from Chance Clement.

Fuchs allowed six hits and six runs in two-plus innings. Brett Paul covered the next four and allowed five runs, only one of which was earned, while striking out three, walking two and allowing four hits. Turner worked the seventh.

Medford is scheduled to host the Spirit Twins Saturday at 7 p.m., while Abbotsford hosts the Westboro Trojans Friday at 7 p.m.