July 3, 2008
Everest pounds Whittlesey 17-1
“Well, that was an ugly start to the game,” commented Dan Kraschnewski as he returned from the mound after pulling Red’s starting pitcher Jeff Kraschnewski when Everest scored its fourth run in the first inning. The Merchants would score five more runs in the inning as they shellacked host Whittlesey 17-1 in seven innings during Dairyland Baseball League action Sunday afternoon.
After a single by Everest’s Rex Zemke, Matt Witter doubled to left field and Ryan Hubacek walked to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed pinch runner Adam Bremer to score to put the Merchants on top 1-0. Joe Waksmonski walked to load the bases again and Witter scored on a single by Cory McEwen to make it 2-0.
Jim Olafson increased Everest’s lead to 4-0 with a single to center, scoring Hubacek and Waksmonski. Walks by Mike Borens and John Rusinek pushed to led to 5-0. Bremer cleared the bases with a grand slam over the left field fence to make the score 9-0. Witter and Hubacek both grounded out to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, Bremer led off with a walk and later advanced to second on a wild pitch to first in an attempted pick-off. He scored on a single to right field by Witter to put Everest ahead 10-0.
Whittlesey’s only run came in the bottom of the fourth when Thomas Mildbrand hit a solo shot over the left field fence to make the score 10-1. The Reds threatened to put some more runs on the scoreboard with singles by Brandon Loertscher, Ryan Kraschnewski and Mike Loertscher loaded the bases with no outs, but were stranded there when Tim Goebel and Ben Meyer struck out and Cody Loertscher grounded out to end the inning.
Everest scored again in the top of the fifth on a solo homer over the left field fence by Rusinek to give the Merchants an 11-1 lead. Whittlesey again had the chance to put some runs on the boards in their half of the inning as Paul Rothmeier and Jeff Kraschnewski led off with walks. The runners advanced to scoring positions with no outs on a wild throw from the catcher to first base in a failed pick-off attempt, but once again couldn’t capitalize on the situation as Mildbrand and Brandon Loertscher popped out to the third baseman and Mike Loertscher grounded out to second base.
The Reds again had a chance to score in the bottom of the sixth with runners at the corners with one out, but Cody Loertscher hit into a double play to end the inning.
In the top of the seventh, Pete Volpe walked for Everest and Rusinek drove a single to deep center to put runners at the corners. Rusinek advanced to second on a wild pitch and a walk by Bremer loaded the bases with two outs. Back to back singles to center by Witter and Hubacek made the score 13-1. Waksmonski walked and Ben Piffner singled into left field to incease the Merchants lead to 15-1. Olafson rounded the pounding with a double to left field, scoring Waksmonski and Piffner to make the final 17-1.
Whittlesey had just eight hits in the game. Mildbrand was two for four, including a home run. Everest picked up 14 hits. Witter went three for four with a double, McEwen and Olafson each were two for four (double for Olafson) and Rusinek was two for three, including a home run. Bremer had a single hit, a grand slam in the first inning.
Jeff Kraschnewski took the loss for the Reds, giving up four hits and six runs while walking two in just one-third inning on the mound. Brandon Loertscher came in in relief, giving up nine hits, 11 runs, struck out four and walked seven in six and two-thirds innings. Ryan Olszewski picked up the win for Everest.
“We were just out hit and played by Everest,” said Dan Kraschnewski. “Everest isn’t that much better than we are, but we didn’t play up to our capability and they did. There were several times when we got runners in scoring position, but would either pop out or hit into a double play, stranding them. It was just one of those day that you hope you don’t have too many of.”
In other Dairyland League action, Abbotsford defeated Interwald 4-1 in a make-up game on Saturday. On Sunday, Merrill beat Taylor County 8-1, Abbotsford downed Spirit 5-1 and Wausau slipped by Interwald 3-2.
Everest is now 8-0 in the league, followed by Abbotsford 5-1, Whittlesey 4-2, Merrill 5-3, Rib Lake 3-3, Taylor County 2-5, Interwald and Wausau 1-3 each, Antigo 1-4 and Spirit 0-5.
