July 24, 2017 at 12:46 p.m.
Errors bring season to an end in Class AA tournament for Post 89
Errors bring season to an end in Class AA tournament for Post 89
By Nick Sabato-
Post 89 lasted three games in the double elimination tournament. In those three games they committed 17 errors and allowed 38 runs.
Many of Minocqua's players have been playing baseball since March and the wear and tear began to show. Not having a full compliment of players also didn't help. Some missed due to jobs, vacations or other sports, while players such as Bryce Crabtree and Skylar Giampa weren't allowed to play due to living out of state.
"Playing with a skeleton crew. The guys that played all summer played, but they're playing out of position," Minocqua manager Mike Wilhelm said. "It's tough to keep it defensively together. I'm not making excuses because we played good baseball teams. Seems like the dog days of summer are setting in and that's where we're at."
Antigo 13, Minocqua 3
The week didn't get off to good start against the favorite entering the week and the eventual champion, Antigo.
Minocqua was strong early in innings, but with two outs, errors prolonged the frame and Antigo cashed in almost every time.
"With guys playing out of position it's tough to get things done defensively," Wilhelm said. "Give Antigo credit. They put the ball in play, got big hits when they needed it and their pitcher threw strikes and we couldn't do anything against their pitcher.
In the top of the first, Antigo cased in with a 3-run home run by Ryan Brauer with two outs to take a 5-0 lead. In the third, back-to-back errors by Parker Biertzer prolonged an inning which eventually resulted in a 2-run single, increasing the lead to 7-1. An error by Austin Wanty scored a run in the top of the fifth after Minocqua had cut the lead to 7-3 on a passed ball and a single by Tate Olson.
The fifth doomed the 89ers as they gave up six runs on four walks, three hits and an error which eventually gave Antigo a 10-run lead.
Olson was a bright spot in the game, going 2 for 2, with two RBIs.
TJ Ullius took the loss on the mound, giving up eight hits and five earned runs, walking five and striking out four in five innings.
Minocqua 13, Northwoods 10
The loss set up a tilt with Northwoods on Thursday, a team Minocqua had beaten multiple times during the regular season. It wasn't easy on the eyes as the two teams combined for nearly as many errors (14) as hits (17).
Ryan McEnroe got the start on the mound was solid for five innings, but ran out of gas in the sixth. He allowed two hits and three walks before exiting with one out, trailing 6-5 and the bases loaded.
Caleb Menzia was thrown into a tough spot and couldn't put out the fire. Northwoods scored six runs in the inning to take a 10-5 lead.
Seemingly cooked, Minocqua made a comeback. Post 89 scored four runs in a row off of Northwoods errors before Tyler Teichmiller singled in McEnroe. Another passed ball scored the sixth run of the inning. Two more walks loaded the bases, setting up a 2-run single from Menzia to complete an inning the totaled eight runs, allowing Minocqua to take a 13-10 win.
"For us to go down 10-5, I'm thinking, 'Oh boy' but for us to come back and answer speaks volumes for what we are," Wilhelm said.
McEnroe, Boh and Biertzer each had an RBI in a game which saw Minocqua score eight unearned runs.
Rhinelander 15, Minocqua 1
While it wasn't easy, the win over Northwoods could have built some momentum heading into an elimination game against Rhinelander on Friday, but any thought of that was squashed almost immediately.
The Rebels scored 10 runs in the first inning on six hits, including a pair of extra-base hits from centerfielder Jacob DeMeyer and RBIs from Brad Comer, Brad Quade, Easton Senaraske, Tyler Blomdahl and Cole Spaulding.
Austin Wanty, who is normally accurate on the mound, simply couldn't find his groove, allowing 10 earned runs on eight hits in two innings of work as Rhinelander ended Minocqua's season.
"Austin's arm was a little tired and we were short on pitching coming into this one," Wilhelm said. "To Rhinelander's credit, they hit. They're a good hitting team. From top to bottom they can hit and they did it today."
While the Rebels hit the ball well, Minocqua could not find a way to solve pitcher Matt Rudolph. Post 89 managed just two hits and the only run came on a bases loaded walk.
DeMeyer and Quade each finished the game with three RBIs apiece.
Minocqua finishes the season 14-8.
Nick Sabato may be reached at [email protected] or via Twitter @SabatoNick.
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