Chaps outhit and outscore Reds, who head to Rapids this Sunday

DAIRYLAND LEAGUE LARGE

Blaine Seidl had two extra-base hits, including a long two-run homer in the ninth inning that got Whittlesey within striking distance, but another big hit was not to be and the Reds dropped their Saturday afternoon game at Marshfield 6-4 in Dairyland League play.

The loss pushed Whittlesey back a game in the loss column behind the Rapids Redhawks in the Large Division standings at 5-3. Rapids, who did not play over the weekend and hosts Everest tonight, Thursday, is atop the division at 7-2.

The Reds and Redhawks will square off Sunday at 1:30 in Rapids in a key divisional battle heading into the regular season’s home stretch.

The Chaparrals, who improved to 3-4 in league play, never trailed Saturday, answering every Reds threat in the latter stages.

Marshfield, who outhit Whittlesey 9-6, got a quick run in the first on Logan Homolka’s RBI single and tacked on a second run in the fifth on two singles, a walk and then a RBI fielder’s choice by Isaiah Beierl.

The Reds finally got their first hit off Marshfield starter Kale Weisenberger in the sixth, a leadoff double by Seidl and he scored on Nick Meyer’s base hit. Whittlesey stranded two runners in the inning.

Marshfield made the Reds pay, scoring twice in the bottom half to open up a 4-1 lead. Luke Wirtz doubled in a run and Brent Ystad knocked in another with a groundball.

Meyer got his second RBI of the game for Whittlesey by getting a base hit to fall in shallow center, driving in Zach Haynes, a pinch runner for Ben Meyer, who had singled with one out. But the Reds again left two runners on and Marshfield extended its lead with a tworun rally in the bottom half thanks to back-to-back RBI doubles from Homolka and Wirtz.

Seidl’s blast in the ninth followed a walk by Cade Alexander. A one-out walk by Jon Laher got the tying run to the plate, but Homolka, who gave up the homer, capped his three-out save by getting a pop-up and a strikeout.

Nick Retterath went 4.1 innings for the Reds, allowing two runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Logan Baumgartner covered the last 3.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with four strikeouts.

Weisenberger went six innings for Marshfield, allowing three hits, all in the sixth. He struck out three and walked two while getting the win. Nick Urban threw two innings and allowed three of Whittlesey’s four runs. Wirtz was three for four with two doubles.

While Whittlesey is playing Rapids Sunday, Everest is at Rhinelander in another key game among teams at the top of the Large Division.