MEDFORD BASEBALL - Putting ball in play pays off in 6-4 first win

MEDFORD BASEBALL

The opponent and site changed, the latter of which happened a few hours before first pitch, but the Medford Raiders got their first baseball game of the season played Monday and earned their first win, 6-4 over visiting Edgar.

The Raiders found the Wildcats as a replacement opponent after Columbus Catholic, on Thursday, backed out of Monday’s starting date, originally set for the turf at Wisconsin Rapids.

A cold rain in Rapids Monday resulted in a move to Medford’s Raider Field, which was in good enough shape to host its earliest opener since Medford beat Hurley on April 1, 2010.

Tanner Hraby and Hayden Strebig each gave the Raiders three strong innings on the mound and the offense put the ball in play when it had to, especially in the bottom of the fifth inning when Medford broke a 1-1 tie by scoring four runs without hitting a ball out of the infield.

Edgar, a WIAA state qualifier last spring in Division 4, made things interesting by scoring three runs in top of the seventh and had the tying runs in scoring position with two outs. But Nick Steliga finally got the third out by inducing an easy ground ball to second baseman Parker Lissner off the bat of Marcus Huehnerfuss.

“Hayden and Tanner did a great job on the mound for us,” Medford head coach Justin Hraby said. “Tanner was mixing and matching and Hayden did a good job of throwing all his pitches for strikes. Nick struggled a bit in the seventh, but we know what we have in Nick and he will bounce back next time out.”

Lissner joined senior catcher Braxton Weissmiller in leading Medford’s offense with two hits apiece. Max Dietzman drove in two runs, while Lissner and Tanner Hraby each scored twice.

With his two runs, Hraby took over the top spot in that category on Medford’s all-time leaderboard with 87, one more than 2022 graduate Caleb Guden.

“Parker and Braxton did what we need them to do, get us some early runs in the game,” coach Hraby said. “Both hit the ball hard all night and are set to have big seasons for us. Tanner has been a big part of our program for the last four years. We are very proud of him for breaking the career runs record. It says a lot about his willingness to set the table. It also tells a lot about the players we have had around him over the years. There have been some big time RBI guys that have plated him.”

Tanner Hraby got the nod as Medford’s starting pitcher and struck out five, while only allowing one hit and one walk in his three innings. Weissmiller wiped out the game-opening single by Jase Apfelbeck by throwing him out on the next pitch as he tried to steal second base.

Lissner singled up the middle and Weissmiller doubled on a drive to the corner in deep right to put the Raiders in business in the bottom of the first against Edgar starter Leyton Schuett. Dietzman’s groundout brought in Lissner with the game’s first run.

Schuett settled in and got through the fourth, striking out four, walking two and allowing three hits. The Wildcats tied the game in the top of the fifth when Huehnerfuss walked, his pinch runner Fletcher Weiland moved to second on a balk, got to third on Harrison Graveen’s groundout and scored when Lissner, playing third, couldn’t quite come up with a tough grounder hit to his left by Brett Baumgartner.

Huehnerfuss took over on the mound for Edgar in the bottom of the fifth and walked Hraby with one out. The Wildcats botched Lissner’s ground ball toward second base and Weissmiller beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Dietzman’s walk scored Hraby with the go-ahead run.

Lissner beat the throw home on Steliga’s softly-hit fielder’s choice to Huehnerfuss and Strebig walked in the third run of the inning. Dietzman beat the throw home on Carson Carbaugh’s grounder hit to the right side of the infield to make it 5-1 before the Wildcats finally ended the inning on a double play.

“Some quality at-bats got us some cheap runs in that fifth inning,” Justin Hraby said. “Max Dietzman, Nick Steliga, Hayden Strebig and Carson Carbaugh all grinded out great at-bats to help us put up that four-spot. Whether they took a walk or put the ball in play with two strikes, those at-bats were huge.”

Tanner Hraby doubled to deep centerfield and scored on Lissner’s single in the sixth. Medford made the most of its six hits and five walks against three Edgar pitchers.

Strebig picked up his first varsity win by striking out three batters while walking two and allowing two hits in his three innings. Steliga locked it down in the seventh, but it didn’t happen easily.

Corey Schilling and Baumgartner started the inning with hits. Groundouts by Preston Dahlke and Apfelbeck got Schilling home but also got the Raiders an out away from victory. But Schuett’s single scored Baumgartner, Lucas Stahnke was hit by a pitch and Dakota Ellenbecker laced a single to center, scoring Schuett.

Stahnke raced to third, drawing a throw that allowed Ellenbecker to scoot to second. But that’s where the rally finally ended.

Another plus for Medford was its strong defense for a first game. The Raiders had just one error, which could’ve been scored either way, centerfielder Evan Wilkins made a diving catch in the third inning and Carbaugh made a sliding catch in the left in the fourth.

“Defensively I was very pleased,” Justin Hraby said. “A few diving catches in the outfield and some very smooth infield play gives us a lot to look forward to.”

Medford is back in action this weekend with three games at the Woodside High Baseball Challenge in Mauston. The Raiders will face Hayward at 11 a.m. and Marquette, Mich. at 1:15 p.m. on Friday and finish up against New Richmond at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

If Mother Nature allows, the Raiders have a big week next week, hosting GNC favorite Mosinee at 5 p.m. Monday and then making the trip to Mosinee on Thursday, April 11.