Bounce goes Rib Lake’s way, ending Merrill’s late rally; Moondogs, Reds fall

DAIRYLAND LEAGUE BASEBALL

Bryant Konieczny found an unusual way to get the Rib Lake Osprey out of a bases-loaded jam Friday night and seal the team’s first win after three losses to start the Dairyland League baseball season.

While facing Garrett Pagel with two down in the top of the ninth and the bases loaded, Konieczny’s high fastball bounced off the backstop for an apparent wild pitch. But the ball quickly ricocheted off the backstop toward Konieczny and he alertly flipped it to catcher Scott Hueckman who tagged out Casey Hoffman as he tried to score the tying run.

Just like that, it was game over in favor of Rib Lake 8-7.

The out at the plate cut short Merrill’s rally from an 8-5 deficit to start the ninth. Levi Ewan walked leadoff hitter Trevor Asmundsen and Piersen Pyan and Hoffman singled to score Asmundsen. Konieczny relieved Ewan and gave up a base hit by Spencer Schneider that scored Pyan and cut Rib Lake’s lead to one. Konieczny got big strikeouts of Brad Kanitz and Brody Gehrke but walked Chase Bonnell on a 3-2 pitch to bring up Pagel, who never got the chance to finish his at-bat.

Merrill, who beat Pittsville the previous week on a walk-off homer, fell to 1-1 in league play.

Early in Friday’s game, it was the Osprey who fought back from a three-run deficit.

Down 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Rib Lake got a one-out walk from Hueckman that was followed by a single from Austin Edwards and a double to deep centerfield by Austin Zondlo. A wild pitch by Schneider scored Edwards and Trent Klemm’s grounder to the right side scored Zondlo with the tying run.

The Osprey scored an unearned run in the fifth, getting out of two infield rundowns in the process, to take the lead. They made it 7-4 in the sixth on an RBI single by Levi Ewan and Jake Brehm’s sacrifice fly. Rib Lake answered Bonnell’s sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth with Hueckman’s RBI groundout to maintain the three-run lead going into the ninth.

Edwards got the pitching victory with a strong start. The left-hander worked into the eighth inning, striking out seven, walking four and allowing seven hits and five runs, three of which were earned. Ewan allowed two runs and two hits in an inning’s work. Konieczny got the two strikeouts while allowing a hit and a walk.

Rib Lake had just seven hits off Schneider and reliever Alex Gehrke but made the most of them. Ewan was two for four. Schneider worked into the sixth, allowing six hits, six walks and seven runs with three strikeouts. Five of the runs were earned. Gehrke allowed a run, a hit and three walks while striking out one in three innings.

Schneider led Merrill at the plate by going three for four.

Rib Lake hosts the Marshfield Chaparrals Friday at 7:30 p.m. Merrill hosted Minocqua Wednesday and hosts Medford at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Everest 11, Medford 1

Also on Friday, the host Everest Merchants used four-run rallies in the fifth and seventh innings to put an early end to their 11-1 game with the Medford Moondogs.

The fifth-inning rally made it a 6-1 game. Medford had just gotten on the board in the top half to close within 2-1 as Taylor Shaw tripled and scored on Trenton Woebbeking’s sacrifice fly.

But Barnes hit a two-run homer and an error allowed Everest to widen the lead. In the seventh, Koleman Schilling started the clinching rally with a double. After an error, a walk, a hit batter and a single, Ryan Hubacek ended it with a two-run double.

Braxton Weissmiller had a pair of singles for Medford, who fell to 2-2 with the end of its mini two-game winning streak. Everest sits atop the league standings at 3-0.

Reds fall to Ducks

The Whittlesey Reds fell to 2-2 with their second straight league loss, a 7-5 setback at Minocqua Sunday afternoon. The Wood Ducks improved to 2-0 and have a big week ahead with games against Merrill, Wausau and Everest between Wednesday and Sunday.

Whittlesey hosts Pittsville this Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Westboro’s game at Wausau Saturday and Interwald’s game at Marshfield Sunday were postponed. The Woodticks visit the Trojans for a 1:30 p.m. start on Sunday.

Rib Lake’s Austin Zondlo watches his fly ball leave the bat and head toward deep centerfield during the fourth inning of the Osprey’s 8-7 win over Merrill Friday. Zondlo’s hit went for an RBI double.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS