RIB LAKE SOFTBALL - Two big innings cap Rib Lake’s softball sweep of Athens

RIB LAKE SOFTBALL

After going nearly 14 years without a softball win over Athens, Rib Lake got its second in three days last Thursday, using five-run rallies in the first and fourth innings to breeze to a 10-0, five-inning win over the visiting Blue Jays.

The two rallies were more than enough as the defense and pitching of Tessa Weik did its job. Weik allowed only three hits while striking out four and walking five.

Three of the walks came in the third inning, eventually loading the bases with two outs, but Weik induced a comebacker from Kyana Janda to end the threat. Two of her strikeouts also came in that inning.

Offensively, Rib Lake had nine hits off two Athens pitchers, including three from Avery Niemi and two apiece from Kiana and Ava Dallmann, two of three straight Dallmanns filling spots six through eight in Thursday’s batting order.

After Athens stranded two runners in the top of the first, Rib Lake went to work right away against Blue Jay pitcher Danica Diethelm. Addison Gumz drew a walk and Tahlia Scheithauer hit a check-swing infield single. Niemi drove a hard grounder to rightfield to score Gumz. A high throw to first on Weik’s grounder to third scored Scheithauer. After Kiana Dallmann drew a one-out walk, Madelyn Dallmann crushed a double to the gap in left-center to score two runs. Ava Dallmann followed with a base hit to drive in Kiana Dallmann with the fifth run of the inning.

No scoring happened again until Rib Lake doubled its lead in the fourth. Gumz was hit by a one-out pitch and Athens failed to get an out on Scheithauer’s fielder’s choice. Niemi singled in Gumz. Walks to Weik and Madilyn Blomberg forced in a run and ended Diethelm’s day in the circle.

Kiana Dallmann greeted reliever Jaelin Switlick with an RBI single to make it 8-0. With two outs, an RBI single by Ava Dallmann and an error on a ball hit by Kara Kennedy brought in the last two runs, giving Rib Lake a chance to end it via the 10-run rule in the fifth, which the Redmen did.

The Redmen, who improved to 2-0 in the four-team Marawood North and 5-1 overall, struck out only two times in the win and drew four walks. Defensively, the only error came in the fifth, but the Redmen still held Athens scoreless in the inning.

Due to Prentice’s season cancellation, Rib Lake hits a lull in its schedule this week, though the Redmen have picked up a JV game at Medford today, Thursday, at 5 p.m. and have also added a 4:30 p.m. game at Mellen Friday.