For the Tomahawk Leader
TOMAHAWK – The Tomahawk Hatchet baseball team fell short in three games earlier this month.
Nekoosa
Tuesday, April 11 saw the Hatchets jump to a quick 1-0 lead at Nekoosa in a game moved from Tyler Kahle Field in Tomahawk due to field conditions. Second baseman Brayden Larson walked, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Tyler Jablonski.
The Papermakers would answer in the bottom of the frame, however, scoring seven runs, with the first eight hitters reaching consecutively. The lead would expand to 11-1 as Nekoosa posted a single run in the second and three in the third.
The Hatchets fought back in the top of the fifth inning, plating three runs. Centerfielder Zach Friske walked, went to second after Brody Rigney, who came on in relief on the mound to start the third inning, was hit by a pitch. Three pitches later, pinch hitter Landon Hoff drove both in with a double, and he scored on a hit by third baseman Grant Albrecht.
Nekoosa answered again with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, and ended the game by run rule one inning later. Rigney covered the final three innings on the mound, allowing two earned runs, while Addison Peissig and Rigney contributed the other Hatchet hits.
Doubleheader vs. Northland Pines at Mosinee
The Hatchets traveled to Mosinee for a conference doubleheader against Northland Pines on Thursday, April 13 – matchups that were previously scheduled on Monday and Thursday in Tomahawk and Eagle River, respectively – and dropped both games, 14-4 in game one and 12-2 in six innings in game two.
Pines struck first in game one with two runs in the top of the second, as a pair of walks, an error, wild pitch and run-scoring ground out did the damage.
Tomahawk would answer in the bottom of the third – Eagles pitcher Landon Hoeft had set down eight consecutive Hatchet hitters before catcher Drew Tollefson socked a long home run to right-center, breaking up both the perfect game and shutout. Tomahawk would put two more runners on following the blast, but were not able to do more damage.
The Eagles answered the Hatchet tally with five in the top of the fourth, sending ten batters to the plate and using two hits, four walks and two errors to aid the scoring. Pines would plate three more in the fifth after Tomahawk tallied twice in the bottom of the fourth. Friske and Rigney reached to open the inning and scored on hits by third baseman Noah Pearson and Tollefson.
Pines would put the game away with four in the top of the seventh – the Hatchets tallied one more before the game ended.
Game two saw Larson toe the slab – he worked into the fourth inning, but inconsistent defense ran his pitch count up and he was unable to record his 12th out. He finished the outing allowing only one earned run (seven total) with one walk and six strikeouts. Tomahawk’s lone run while Larson was on the mound came in the top of the third as Peissig led off with a hit, moved to second on another hit by Jablonski and scored on an Eagle error.
The Hatchets managed their second run in the top of the sixth, as Ethan Ihn walked, went to second when Monty Framke walked and later scored on a groundout by Tollefson.
The Eagles ended the game by run rule in the bottom of the sixth, plating five runs off Framke and Nick Arndt. Peissig reached base three times, while Framke and Rigney had the other Hatchet hits.
More action from the Hatchet sluggers
Winter weather was expected to change the schedule during the week of Monday, April 17, as the Hatchets were slated to play Medford on Monday, April 17 and Thursday, April 20, with a non-conference game at Merrill on Friday, April 21.
The Hatchets were scheduled to host Lakeland at Tyler Kahle Memorial Field on Tuesday, April 25.
On Thursday, April 27, the Tomahawk sluggers are scheduled to travel to Lakeland for their second matchup against the Thunderbirds this week. Opening pitch is at 5 p.m.