Medford softball takes two from Rib Lake

SUMMER SOFTBALL

Two close games between local 17U softball teams went Medford’s way on July 19 as the home team used late runs in both five-inning contests to sweep Rib Lake at the MAES diamond.

Rib Lake came back from a 5-0 deficit to tie Medford in the opener but Kayla Baumgartner’s walk-off blast off the centerfield fence drove in Rylee Hraby, who had opened the bottom of the fifth with an opposite-field triple on a deep drive to the leftfield corner, and made Medford a 6-5 winner.

Hraby was the winning pitcher. She cruised through the first three innings, but Rib Lake did some damage in the fourth, getting hits from Cassandra Cano, Addison Gumz, Tessa Weik and Josie Scheithauer to pull within 5-2. A run scored on a wild pitch and Kiana Dallmann added another RBI hit to pull Rib Lake within 5-4.

Down to their last out, the visitors tied it in the top of the fifth when Olivia Butler and Abby Packenham drew twoout walks and Cano reached on an error. Gumz walked to force in the tying run.

Medford did almost all of its offensive damage in the third inning before Baumgartner’s game-winner. Leading 1-0 on an RBI infield single by Lexi Hraby in the second, Laney Hraby led off the third with a double and scored on a base hit by Rylee Hraby. Baumgartner reached on an error, which was followed by an RBI single by Kailyn Haenel. A run scored on a wild pitch and Paige Wilkins drove in one with a groundout.

Josie Scheithauer pitched all five innings for Rib Lake.

Rib Lake was the team jumping ahead in game two, taking a 5-0 first-inning lead, but Medford’s four-run fourth completed a 9-6 comeback win.

Josie Scheithauer hit a sacrifice fly and errors brought in the other four runs in the top of the first. Haenel’s hit with the bases loaded scored two in the bottom half.

Medford tied it with a three-run third with run-scoring hits from Rylee Hraby and Baumgartner. Down 6-5, Medford took the lead in the fourth when Laney Hraby reached on an error, scored on Rylee Hraby’s double, Baumgartner reached on an error, Haenel hit a tworun double and the hosts added a run on a wild pitch.

Haenel got the win, going all five innings. Tahlia Scheithauer went three innings for Rib Lake and Gumz pitched the fourth.

Medford improved to 8-2 in local league play.