RIB LAKE SOFTBALL - Bottom of the order leads the charge as Redmen rally past Mellen, 9-6

RIB LAKE SOFTBALL

Getting runners on base wasn’t much of a problem for the Rib Lake softball team Friday, knocking them in was until the fourth inning when the Redmen started a game-ending 8-0 run that secured their 96 non-conference win at Mellen.

The Redmen outhit Mellen 18-9, drew five walks and only struck out once. Yet they still trailed 6-1 through three innings. Two runs in the top of the fourth got them going. Three-run rallies in the fifth and sixth put them in the lead. They had the bases loaded again in the seventh, but were unable to score.

But that didn’t hurt them as Tessa Weik induced three ground-ball outs to close the game out.

“The positive takeaways are that we came from behind and fought for a win despite not playing our best,” Rib Lake head coach Craig Scheithauer said. “Our bottom half of the lineup had 12 of our 18 hits, so it was nice for them to carry us when the top half struggled a bit. Tessa also came in and threw four shutout innings with some good defense behind her as well. That allowed us to chip away and finally take the lead and the win, so that was key as well.”

Weik gave up just one hit in her four innings. She struck out one. To Scheithauer’s point, everything else was put in play with just one ball misplayed in those last four innings.

Tahlia Scheithauer got what’s been a rare start for her in the pitching circle this spring. After Rib Lake turned a double play to get out of the first inning with a 1-0 lead, Mellen turned four hits and a walk into four runs in the bottom of the second and three hits and two walks into two more runs in the third.

“Tahlia threw OK, but wasn’t at what we know to be her best,” Craig Scheithauer said. “I think she’s still a little rusty after being shut down mid-season last year, but she needed some mound time so we started her. And, she also dealt with a bit of an inconsistent strike zone early in the game. Not getting some of the corners and then having to groove pitches since she was behind in the count, Mellen took advantage of it a few times, dropping in some singles that scored some runs.”

Number-six hitter Kiana Dallmann started the fourth-inning rally with a oneout single. Madelyn Dallmann and Ava Dallmann singled to load the bases for number-nine hitter Kara Kennedy, who walked in a run. Leadoff hitter Addison Gumz singled in the second run, though the ball hit Kennedy for the second out of the inning. Rib Lake wound up leaving the bases loaded down 6-3.

With one out, number-five hitter Madilyn Blomberg started the tying rally in the fifth with a hit, followed by a Kiana Dallmann single and a Madelyn Dallmann walk. Ava Dallmann singled in a pair of runs and, with two outs, Gumz singled in the tying run.

The sixth-inning damage was all done with two outs. Blomberg, Kiana Dallmann and Madelyn Dallmann singled. Ava Dallmann again came through with a tworun single and Kennedy knocked in another with a base hit.

Ava Dallmann went four for five with four runs batted in. Kiana Dallmann was three for four, as was Gumz. Blomberg was two for five and Madelyn Dallmann was two for three. Avery Niemi drove in Rib Lake’s first-inning run with a double.

The win boosted Rib Lake’s overall record to 6-1. The Redmen have added a home game with Mellen for today, Thursday, at 4:45 p.m. before they go to Auburndale Friday for a Marawood Conference crossover.

Rib Lake then has its series with Marawood North rival Phillips next week. They’ll host the Loggers on Monday at 4:45 p.m. and then go to Phillips on May 8.