Reds drop a close one to Everest; Medford blows out Rib Lake

DAIRYLAND LEAGUE BASEBALL

The Everest Merchants got two big outs on Whittlesey base runners in the late going and held on for a 4-3 win Sunday that prevented the Reds from getting off to a 3-0 start in Dairyland League baseball.

Instead Everest, along with Marshfi eld, has the early jump with a 2-0 record after the Merchants also beat Pittsville 6-1 on June 2. Merrill and Minocqua won their 2021 debuts over the weekend.

In a game where starting pitchers Brandon Loertscher of Whittlesey and Heinrich Walder of Everest did their jobs, runs generally were scored when defenses made mistakes.

Whittlesey earned the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning, turning singles by Nick Meyer and Thomas Mildbrand into an RBI groundout for Brandon Loertscher. Everest turned three singles, a misplay in the outfield and a sacrifice fly by Ryan Hubacek into a pair of third-inning runs to take a 2-1 lead.

Loertscher singled in the fourth and scored on a throwing error. Tyler Thicke led off the bottom of the fifth by reaching on an error and eventually scored as Mildbrand, Jeff Kraschnewski and Loertscher hit consecutive singles.

Everest tied the game at 3-3 in the sixth on an unearned run. Another big two-out error allowed the Merchants to take the lead in the top of the seventh.

Whittlesey was in prime position to tie the game, if not take the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Thicke walked, Meyer was hit by a pitch and Ryan Kraschnewski sacrifice bunted the runners into scoring position. But a base running mistake on Jeff Kraschnewski’s groundout to first base, left Thicke hung up between third and home and he was tagged out for an inning-ending double play.

Whittlesey stranded one runner in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth against closer Josh Nielsen, Thicke hit a one-out double to deep left-center and Meyer beat out an infield hit to deep short. Shortstop Sam Nielsen’s throw to second, to try to catch Thicke leaning too far off the base went wide, allowing Thicke to go to third.

Ryan Kraschnewski again bunted, but this time the ball went right to Nielsen, who shoveled the ball with his glove to catcher Nic Barnes, who tagged out Thicke. Nielsen got Jeff Kraschnewski to pop out to second to nail down the win for the Merchants.

Loertscher walked only one, struck out one and scattered eight hits in 6.1 innings. Thicke struck out four, walked one and allowed one hit in 2.2 innings. Brandon Kratz had three of Everest’s hits. Mildbrand was three for three for the Reds, while Loertscher was two for three.

Whittlesey heads to Minocqua Sunday for a 1:30 p.m. first pitch with the Wood Ducks.

Medford 14, Rib Lake 4

In Medford Sunday, the host Moondogs used a four-run fourth and a five-run sixth to break away from mistake-prone Rib Lake in a 14-4, eight-inning rout.

Medford improved to 2-1 in league play, while the Osprey slipped to 0-3.

Brett Paul went the distance for Medford, working around 10 hits to allow four earned runs. He struck out seven and walked just three.

Kole Karaba was three for three at the plate for Medford and drove in three runs. Taylor Shaw was three for six out of the leadoff spots and knocked in four.

Trenton Woebbeking and Karaba doubled in the first off Rib Lake starter Austin Edwards, but Rib Lake got an RBI single from Jake Brehm in the third and scored two in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Austin Ewan tripled to deep right and scored on an errant throw back to the infield. Scott Hueckman worked for a two-out walk and scored when Austin Zondlo tripled past a diving Shaw in centerfield.

But Medford took the lead for good in the bottom half, capitalizing on three straight walks issued by Edwards to start the inning. Ryan Paul drove in one with fielder’s choice. Brady Wisniewski was hit by a Levi Ewan pitch with the bases loaded and Shaw dropped a two-run single to left-center for a 5-3 Medford lead.

It stayed that way until the sixth. Justin Janikowski was hit by a one-out pitch, then three errors over the next two batters scored a run and Woebbeking whacked a two-run double. Karaba’s tworun double made it 10-3.

Medford put it away with a three-run eighth.

Jeff Ziembo was two for three for Rib Lake, while Brehm and Austin Ewan both went two for four.

Edwards pitched three innings and allowed three hits and three runs while walking four and striking out one. Levi Ewan took the loss, though five of the seven runs against him in 2.1 innings were unearned. He allowed three hits and struck out three, while walking one and hitting two.

Medford travels to Everest for a 7 p.m. matchup on Friday night, while Rib Lake hosts Merrill at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Chaps 14, Trojans 2

In Westboro Sunday, the host Trojans held Marshfield to two hits and only trailed 3-2 through seven innings. The wheels fell off in an 11-run eighth inning that secured a 14-2 win for the Chaparrals that dropped Westboro to 1-2.

Westboro took a 1-0 lead in the third when Cameron Diedrich singled and was doubled home by Dustin Freeman. Marshfield got two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth on an RBI single by Luke Wirtz. Singles by Marcus Klemm, Diedrich and BJ Wiegel pulled the Trojans within 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.

But Wirtz’s solo homer to open the eighth off Wiegel sparked Marshfield’s offense. Will Lee singled. Jake Earll and Isaiah Bairel were both walked by Taylor Brayton to load the bases. Brayton got two quick outs, but the third out didn’t come until the next eight batters reached.

Nathan Krommenakker hit a two-run single and Garrett Huber blasted a threerun homer. Caleb Krommenakker and Wirtz singled and Lee walked to load the bases again. Earll walked to drive in a run and Bairel hit a three-run double.

Westboro’s Trace Brayton struck out 11 in five innings. Diedrich went two for four at the plate. Wirtz was four for five for Marshfield.

Westboro is at Wausau for a 1:30 p.m. first pitch on Saturday. Wausau was an 8-0 winner at Interwald on Sunday, dropping the Woodticks to 0-2. Interwald goes to Marshfield on Sunday.

Rib Lake’s Jeff Ziembo dives into the dust and scores while Medford catcher Justin Janikowski waits for the bouncing ball to arrive during the third inning of Sunday’s game in Medford. Ziembo scored on a base hit by Jake Brehm to tie the game at 1-1. Medford, though, went on to win easily 14-4 in eight innings.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS