MEDFORD GIRLS SWIMDAIRYLAND LEAGUE SMALL - Osprey takes down Titans, closes in on Small Division title

MEDFORD GIRLS SWIM DAIRYLAND LEAGUE SMALL

The Rib Lake Osprey held off a late surge by Tomahawk in an 11-7 win Friday and, in the process, clinched at least a share of this summer’s Small Division championship in the Dairyland League.

After weekend play in the division, 6-0 Rib Lake can only be equaled by one team, Westboro (4-1), who the Osprey have already beaten. Losses by Abbotsford Friday and Interwald Sunday knocked them out of contention.

Rib Lake’s final game in the division is a home game with Abbotsford (3-2) on July 26. Westboro is at Pittsville (3-2) Sunday and hosts Interwald (3-2) on July 28.

The Osprey took control with a six-run second-inning rally that opened up a 6-1 lead. The lead got to 8-2 in the fifth, 9-3 in the seventh and 11-5 in the ninth, but Tomahawk didn’t quit, loading the bases after Austin Edwards retired the first two batters in the top of the ninth. Nick Kahle’s double scored two runs.

Rib Lake then turned to Bryant Konieczny, who got Jacob Kahle to ground out to first to end the game.

The teams combined for 29 hits, with Edwards allowing 14 of them in 8.2 innings. He struck out three, walked two, hit one and allowed five earned runs.

Levi Ewan was three for three for Rib Lake before leaving the game with an injury. Drew Hauschild went three for four while Joe Frombach and Seth Mudgett each had two of Rib Lake’s 15 hits off three Tomahawk pitchers.

The six-run second started with Mudgett’s infield hit. Luke Blomberg and Hauschild both singled. Two runs scored on Frombach’s single that snuck by the third baseman. Konieczny singled then Ewan tomahawked a high fastball to deep left for a two-run double on Rib Lake’s sixth straight hit. Steve Mann drove in a run with a ground ball and Austin Ewan singled in the sixth run.

Edwards hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Jordan Yanko singled and scored on Hauschild’s double in the fifth. The Osprey took advantage of sloppy defense and walks to maintain the lead.

Eli Wurl was the losing pitcher. He threw the first four innings for Tomahawk (0-4) and allowed 13 hits, seven earned runs and a walk. Chase Bonnell settled things down, allowing a run in two innings before the Osprey got three runs, one of which was earned in two innings against Jacob Kahle.

Nick Kahle, Jacob Kahle and Mason Beatie had three hits apiece from the top three spots in Tomahawk’s batting order.

The Titans are back in the area twice this coming weekend, facing Medford at Jaycee Field Saturday at 7 p.m. and Interwald in Rib Lake Sunday at 1:30 p.m.