By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter
On Sunday afternoon the Merrill Rangers baseball team traveled to Whittelsey for there first game of the year against the defending Dairyland league champs. It was a close game with not much scoring, with the Rangers coming out on top with a 4-2 win.
Walks would be the story early on for Merrill, drawing seven walks in the first two innings to help them build a lead. Ben Anderson started out the first inning of the game with a walk. Anderson would move over to second on a fielders choice, and make it to third base after the next two batter would also draw walks. Garret Pagel would later draw a walk of his own to score the first run of the game. The second would see the Rangers scoring another run with Justin Pyan starting the rally with a walk. A single by Anderson moved Pyan to second base, with two walks following to score another Merrill run.
In the fifth inning of play with Whittelsey still unable to crack the scoreboard, Merrill would add another run to their lead on a Brad Kanitz solo home run. The next inning the Rangers would make it 4-0 with another run crossing the plate. Pyan led off the inning with a walk and would move over to second on a sacrifice bunt. Pyan would then make it to third base on a fly out to right field, before scoring on a Jared Schmeltzer single to center field.
Whittelsey would score two runs of their own in their half of the sixth inning to make it a 4-2 game, however that would be the end of the scoring for both teams as the Rangers topped the Reds.
Chase Nelson started on the mound for Merrill and had an outstanding performance, going six innings and striking out nine batters, walking two, and allowing one earned run in six hits. Shawn Schultz would relieve Nelson and throw two innings striking out three batters and walking one. Justin Pyan closed out the game, throwing one inning and striking out one batter.
Brad Kanitz led the Rangers in hitting with two hits, one walk, one RBI and a home run. Garret Pagel went one for three at the plate with two walks and one RBI. Jared Schmeltzer had one hit, two walks and two RBI’s, and Ben Anderson finished with one for three with a walk.
The Rangers next game is Sunday, May 20 as they host Interwald at Athletic park at 1:30 p.m.