Scoreless through five
to 2-0 and then knew that Garski was going to have to come big. He did, and Tanner made him pay. What a rush seeing that ball go and watching the bases clear to take the lead. A great moment in our season.”
Mudgett got Stoffel to hit a little looper that Guden caught at shortstop, then Unertl grounded out to Hraby at second putting Medford one out away from victory. But, Obremski drew a four-pitch walk, courtesy runner Brady Lokken stole second base and he scored when Garski lined a double to the gap in leftcenter. Drake Grod then dumped a single into center, scoring Garski and tying the game at 6-6. Trenton Dorn grounded out to Baumgartner at third, so it was on to extra innings.
Lissner led off the eighth by drawing a walk from new reliever Taylor Lemanski, but was eventually picked off by Obremski, Mosinee’s catcher and the Raiders got nothing else. Mudgett retired Mosinee’s first two hitters on fly balls to centerfielder Steve Hraby, but Hraby lost his footing on Lemanski’s drive to deep center, got there but couldn’t quite hold on as he slipped again, giving Lemanski a double. The Indians eventually loaded the bases, but Mudgett got out of the mess by getting Obremski to hit a ground ball at Baumgartner for a forceout.
Medford took its turn creating two-out magic in the top of the ninth. Mudgett led off with a walk, but Garski retired Guden on a ground ball and struck out Hraby looking. Mosinee made a curious decision to intentionally walk Gardner. While it set up forces at each bag, it also brought up one of Medford’s most potent hitters in Baumgartner and he made Mosinee pay by lining a double to the leftfield corner that scored both runners. Again, Medford was three outs away from victory, leading 8-6.
“When they walked Aiden, I was surprised,” Justin Hraby said. “Logan is as dangerous of a hitter as it gets. I had no doubt in my mind that he was going to come through. That was a bigtime hit from a bigtime Raider athlete. He has really come on in the second part of the season.”
But the Raiders got into immediate trouble in the bottom half when Garski and Grod hit clean singles to put runners on the corners. Hraby took over on the mound. Gardner, Medford’s catcher, made a nice throw to retire Dorn on a sacrifice bunt that moved Grod to second. Those runners scored on wild pitches as Eli Miland walked and Jirschele was intentionally walked. Lemanski was hit by a pitch to load them up. Hraby got ahead of Stoffel with two quick strikes, but on a 2-2 pitch, Stoffel got his bouncer through the middle to set off a wild celebration for the men in purple and stunned disappointment for those wearing red.
Key plays early in the game kept the game scoreless through five innings.
In the bottom of the first, Gardner picked Lemanski off first base, and the senior catcher threw out Unertl trying to steal second base in the next. That loomed large when Mosinee eventually loaded the bases, but Guden struck out Miland looking to end the threat.
Jirschele singled to lead off the bottom of the third, but Lemanski lined into a double play to Baumgartner, who was playing shortstop at the time.
Guden doubled to left-center to start Medford’s fourth and was bunted to third by Hraby. But Gardner hit a sharp grounder to Stoffel, Mosinee’s first baseman, and Guden was tagged out in a rundown between third and home. After Logan Baumgartner walked, Obremski picked him off first base to end the inning.
Medford put two runners in scoring position in the top of the fifth with two outs, but Jirschele got Mudgett to fly out softly to left. Guden struck out Lemanski with a runner in scoring position to end the bottom of the fifth.
Guden struck out four, walked four and allowed seven hits, including the three solo homers in five-plus innings. Mudgett went three innings, allowing eight hits and five earned while walking three and striking out one. Hraby got an out, walked two and allowed a run and a hit.
“Our defense was tough,” Hraby said. “They made plays when we needed it. Caleb picking off Lemanski early on, Gardner cutting down a caught up baserunner, and Logan doubling off a runner on a liner. Those were all big plays that helps squash potential rallies. Chubs came up big, throwing a big hook to sit Miland with the bases loaded. Chubs pitched well for us, gave us exactly what we needed.”
Jirschele allowed five hits and a run in 6.1 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
“Jirschele was tough,” Hraby said. “He found ways to wiggle out of jams. Also, his defense was good behind him. He hit his spots and got some big strikeouts when needed. He’s going to be tough to beat in the next couple of years.”
Stoffel allowed four runs and three walks and a hit without getting an out. Garski got two outs, walked one, struck out one and allowed a hit and an earned run. Lemanski got the win, striking out three and walking two in two innings. He allowed two runs and one hit.
Guden was two for four and Weissmiller was two for five for Medford. Tanner Hraby and Baumgartner each drove in three runs. Mosinee outhit Medford 16-8. Garski and Grod both went four for five. Garski scored three times. Stoffel was three for five.
With the loss, Medford bids farewell to a large and successful senior class that includes Guden, Gardner, Mudgett, Kelley, Colby Elsner, Steve Hraby and Kale Klussendorf. However, players like Baumgartner, Tanner Hraby, Weissmiller, Dietzman and Lissner to name a few, give the Raiders a core to build the 2023 team around.
“Wow, what a group of seniors,” coach Hraby said. “In their three seasons in the baseball program, they won 66 games, two conference titles and regional title. They have played in a lot of big games during their time at MASH. I can’t say enough about these guys. They work hard, are great teammates and overall great kids. Great families as well, we’re going to miss everything about them.
“It’s a tough one to swallow, hard for a number of reasons, because of the upand- down emotions during the game, how Mosinee ended up stacking the team they did with three all-conference transfers. Pile it all up and it makes it tough. We will bounce back and move on. Next year’s group will reload and be right there again playing in the regional final with a chance to go to sectionals. I have no doubt in my mind.”
Raider Brigham Kelley is plunked on the elbow by a Keagen Jirschele pitch during the fifth inning.
Medford assistant coach Jason Gardner and son Aiden Gardner embrace moments after Mosinee clinches the 9-8, nine-inning win.
Medford’s Caleb Guden is unable to run his way out of a pickle between third base and home during the fourth inning.
The third of three pitchers Medford used, Tanner Hraby is stunned after Mosinee’s Davin Stoffel wins Wednesday’s epic WIAA Division 2 regional final with an RBI single up the middle.
