For the Tomahawk Leader
TOMAHAWK – Last week, Medford walked away with its second win over the Tomahawk Hatchet baseball this season, completing a sweep.
Three days later, defensive struggles short-circuited the Hatchets in a matchup against Mosinee.
Medford
The second inning once again proved problematic for Tomahawk’s baseball team, as Medford tallied seven runs en route to a 14-4, five-inning win at Tyler Kahle Field in Great Northern Conference play on Friday, May 14.
A leadoff walk to Raider catcher Aidan Gardner got things started as seven batters would reach consecutively before an out was recorded, which ultimately accounted for six of the seven Medford runs. Pitcher Caleb Guden had a two-run double and centerfielder Blaine Seidl had a two-run single to highlight the scoring.
Tomahawk had an answer, though, as they tallied all four of their runs after the seven-run outburst. Shortstop Garrett Nelson led things off with a single. Leftfielder Ryan Skees would plate Nelson with a base hit. A fielder’s choice ground ball by catcher Tyler Jablonski would bring home Marcus Matti, who reached on an error. A walk, a second Raider error and a hit-by-pitcher Isaiah Scheffler would complete the Hatchet scoring.
Medford had answers in the third and fourth innings, scoring three and two runs, respectively, to push the lead to ten runs, ending the game early when Tomahawk could not push a run across in the bottom of the fifth.
Scheffler led the Hatchet offense with two hits and an RBI, and also started the game on the mound, covering the first three innings. Jake Kaminksi allowed two hits over the final two innings.
Mosinee
Six Tomahawk defensive errors, all in the last four innings, paved the way for Mosinee to leave Tyler Kahle Field with a 13-7 Great Northern Conference win on Monday, May 17.
The Indians would tally first with a run in the top of the first, aided by walks to Trevor Garski, Drake Grod and Matthew Dudei. The damage was limited to one run as Garski was thrown out stealing second base by Hatchet catcher Marcus Matti ahead of a pair of ground ball outs, with Brayden Hoen’s grounder to short driving in the Indian run.
Tomahawk would take a 4-1 lead through three innings, pushing three across in the second and a single run in the third. All three second inning runs scored with two outs – shortstop Tyler Jablonski singled in one, leftfielder Blake Felser doubled in a second and third baseman Jake Kaminkski singled in the third. Centerfielder Isaiah Scheffler scored the third inning run, doubling to left to lead off, advancing to third on first baseman Payton Bunce’s groundout and scoring on Matti’s fielder’s choice groundball.
Mosinee would answer, however, tying the game in the top of the fourth with three runs, and then taking the lead with a single tally in the fifth before Tomahawk re-tied the game with their own run in the fifth.
The Indians would plate six in the sixth – four unearned – to break open the game, heading to the bottom of six up 11-5. A leadoff walk to Tanner Miller started the inning – Garski plated two with a single, followed by run-scoring hits by Grod and Hoen.
Both teams tallied a pair in the seventh – Scheffler and starting pitcher Garrett Nelson would touch the plate for the Hatchets in the inning.
Nelson weathered the first inning walks to pitch into the sixth inning before being relieved by Kaminski, who recorded the final four outs. Indian starter Eli Miland completed six innings for the win.
Kaminksi led the Hatchet offense with three of the teams’ nine hits. Scheffler had two hits and three runs scored.
The Hatchets were set to hit the road to wrap up the season series with Mosinee on Thursday, May 20, followed by a nonconference road matchup in Merrill on Friday, May 21.
The Tomahawk sluggers were set to kick off this week’s action against Rhinelander on Monday, May 24 at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field in Tomahawk.
The Hatchets will head to Rhinelander for a rematch against the Hodags on Thursday, May 27. First pitch is at 5 p.m.