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Rhinelander beats Lakeland by coming back in 7th and 8th innings

By Michael Patterson

Daily News Sports

The Rhinelander baseball team pulled off a picture perfect come-from-behind 4-3 win against Lakeland on Friday at Stafford Field.

There are many reasons why it could be called “perfect.”

First, it was one of the highlights of a very tough season for the Hodags.

Second, it ended the way any fan would like to see a baseball game end -- especially for the home team.

Third, the seniors played their last home game like seasoned leaders.

And finally, and most importantly, it gives the team momentum going into the postseason with a two-game winning streak.

Rhinelander played strongly for eight innings, scoring four runs on nine hits and three errors.

Both teams were scoreless through the first three innings. Rhinelander had a few hits, but could not advance its runners.

Hodags pitcher Tyler Henkel stymied the T-Birds' offense by striking out seven of the first 10 batters he faced.

Lakeland finally cracked Henkel in the fourth and took a 2-0 lead.

It started when Ethan Davids doubled to left. He moved to third on an overthrow by Henkel and came home on a base hit by Lakeland pitcher Cale Tassi. Sid Hunter grounded to short to moving Tassi to second. With two outs, David Gregory reached base on his grounder to short on an overthrow at first; the error allowed Tassi to score. Henkel then struck out Danny Hogan to get out of the inning.

Those two runs put a damper on an otherwise stellar performance on the mound by Henkel.

The Hodags shrugged off Lakeland's half of the inning and made it a 2-1 game with only one hit in the bottom of the fourth.

After Tassi walked Jacob Schmidt and Sam Huebner to start the inning, Ryan Kelly bunted to move them into scoring position. Rhinelander scored on a passed ball and heads-up running by Schmidt, who slid home under the tag to put the run on the board.

The T-Birds scored again in the sixth that started with a lead-off walk to Davids, who moved to second on a well-placed bunt by Tassi. Another Hodags error and a walk by Henkel loaded the bases for Lucas Lewandowski. Henkel then came through with another strikeout to close out the sixth.

Tassi was pulled in the sixth after giving up a lead-off double to Chet White.

Billy Kuchler came in to relieve Tassi, who went five innings and allowed no earned runs on four hits, two strikeouts and two walks.

The Hodags tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh after Lakeland had failed to add any insurance runs to its lead in the top of the inning.

Ben Schrage reached first on an error at short. Brady Hauser sacrificed him to second, and then Schrage moved to third on a Jake Bognar fly out to center.

Down to their last out of the game and the tying run camped at third. Henkel smacked a double into the gap between right and center to score Schrage and keep the Hodags alive.

“We've talked about having these types of innings all year long, now we are starting to produce,” Rhinelander head coach Joe Waksmonski said.

White was then hit by a pitch and Schmidt walked to load the bases for Huebner, who popped it up in the infield to send the game into extra innings.

Lakeland again came back to make it a 3-2 game when they loaded the bases on a single, error and a walk.

Mack Lane came in to pitch for Henkel, who finished with seven-plus innings pitched. Henkel surrendered three runs on six hits and struck out 12 while issuing four bases on balls.

He also hit two doubles, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

“[Tyler] was hitting his spots with his fastball and was able to keep it going. He is not the type of kid that will flame out after a strong start -- he stays steady,” said Waksmonski.

Lane faced Hogan, who hit a grounder to short that allowed Rhinelander to turn a double play, but also let Davids cross home plate to let Lakeland retake the lead.

Lane ended the inning when Gregory failed on a squeeze bunt attempt.

The Hodags came to bat in the bottom of the eighth down by one run.

When Kelly struck out to start the inning and Luke McEldowney flied out to left, it looked like all hope was lost. But back-to-back singles up the middle by Schrage and Hauser gave the Hodags the momentum they needed.

With Bognar up, a passed ball moved both runners into scoring position. Facing a full 3-2 count, Bognar ripped a base hit past the second baseman, scoring both runners to win the game 4-3.

For the game, Bognar went 2-for-5 with two RBI.

“We just have to believe in each other and have trust,” Waksmonski said. “Now that we have done this in a couple of games we know that we are capable of doing it.”

Lane earned his second win this season, giving up no runs or hits.

Lakeland reliever Kuchler was credited with the loss with three runs on five hits. He struck out two and hit two batters.

The Hodags (4-15, 2-14) will travel to Wausau East in the WIAA regional playoffs on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

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