Rib Lake maintains its grip on Woodticks

DAIRYLAND LEAGUE DIVISION A

Osprey unbeaten since 2014 in July 3 matchups

Austin Ewan’s seventh-inning three-run homer was the difference in game one and Bryant Konieczny’s pitching kept Interwald off the scoreboard until the ninth inning in game two of Rib Lake’s doubleheader sweep of the Woodticks Sunday afternoon and evening.

The Osprey continued their dominance of the annual July 3 games between teams who share the Tannery Creek Parkway field as their home diamond in Dairyland League play with 8-6 and 4-1 wins. The teams have met annually before Rib Lake’s fireworks on July 3 since 2014, except for the Covid year of 2020, and Rib Lake now owns a 9-0 record in those games.

The victories vaulted Rib Lake into second place in Division A of the Dairyland League standings at 6-2. The Osprey trails 7-0 Everest. Interwald slid to 5-4 and into fourth place behind 3-2 Wausau, who lost to Everest 5-0 on Friday.

Ewan’s homer highlighted a four-run seventh-inning rally that put Rib Lake in front for good in game one, though the Osprey had to hold off a threat by Interwald in the bottom of the ninth to secure the 8-6 win.

Playing as the visitors, the Osprey pushed across single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Woodticks tied it up in the home half of the third with hits from Dalton Strebig, David Fliehs and Nick Gerstberger and got an unearned run in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead.

That lead held until the top of the seventh. Konieczny reached on an infi eld hit, stole second and went to third on an errant throw. He scored on a oneout double to the leftfield fence by Mateo Lopez. With two down, number-nine hitter Austin Zondlo walked to bring up Ewan, who pulled a high drive over the rightfield fence to give the Osprey a 6-3 lead.

Interwald loaded the bases with one out against Rib Lake starter Austin Edwards in the bottom half but all the Woodticks got out of it was Craig Scheithauer’s sacrifice fly to pull within two.

Levi Ewan gave Rib Lake two more runs to work with in the top of the ninth with a two-out, two-run single off reliever Logan Blomberg that was preceded by a Scott Hueckman single and two walks. That loomed large when Interwald loaded the bases again in the bottom of the ninth with one out. Levi Ewan relieved Edwards and gave up a single to Carter Scheithauer that knocked in two runs. But Ewan got Nick Gerstberger to pop up to the mound and retired Luke Blomberg on a fly ball to Hueckman in leftfield to end it.

Edwards got the win by striking out seven, walking four and hitting three in 8.1 innings. He allowed seven hits. Carter Scheithauer went 8.2 innings for the Woodticks. He struck out three, walked five and allowed just six hits.

Levi Ewan was two for five for Rib Lake. Strebig was three for five for Interwald and scored four runs, while Carter Scheithauer was two for four.

After catching game one, Konieczny scattered six hits, struck out five, walked two and hit a batter while going the distance in the Osprey’s 4-1 game two win. Interwald never had more than one runner on base until the eighth and ninth innings and a throwing error was all that separated Rib Lake from a shutout victory.

Rib Lake, playing as the home team, got off to a quick start, getting a single from Levi Ewan and a double from Jeff Ziembo in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead. The Osprey widened the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third, getting a double from Zondlo and a costly Interwald error. Ziembo added his second double to drive in the second run of the inning and make it 3-0.

Edwards singled in the sixth and scored on Hueckman’s sacrifice fly.

Peter Devine pitched well in the loss for Interwald. He covered all eight innings and allowed just six hits with three strikeouts.

The Woodticks threatened in the top of the ninth. Logan Blomberg drew a leadoff walk and Gerstberger singled with one out. James Holliday grounded into a fielder’s choice, but an errant throw on the attempt for a double play resulted in Blomberg coming in to score. Jackson Blomberg reached on a third-strike wild pitch to bring the tying run to the plate, but Konieczny got number-nine hitter Jake Borman to fly out to right to end it.

Ziembo was two for three to lead Rib Lake at the plate, while Strebig and Gerstberger were two for four for Interwald.

Rib Lake hosts Minocqua at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, attempting to earn a season sweep over the Wood Ducks. Interwald heads north to face those same Wood Ducks at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Interwald also is looking for a season sweep over Minocqua.

In other Division A action Saturday, the Medford Moondogs completed a season sweep of Spirit, winning 13-7 on the Twins’ home field. Medford improved to 3-5 and hosts Wausau Saturday in a noon doubleheader. Spirit, now 0-9, hosts Everest at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Interwald’s Carter Scheithauer throws a strike during game one Sunday.

Interwald’s James Holliday makes a catch in rightfield during game two.

Levi Ewan (5) and the rest of his Rib Lake teammates welcome Austin Ewan (15) to home plate after Austin’s three-run home run breaks a 3-3 tie in the seventh inning and propels the Osprey to an 8-6 win over Interwald in game one of Sunday’s Dairyland League doubleheader.PHOTOS BY MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS