By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter
After the Merrill Baseball Hall of Fame inductions concluded, Merrill Post 46 kicked off the annual Legion tournament at Athletic Park, starting with Holmen. Unfortunately, Merrill lost to Holmen with a final score of 13-5. Merrill generated six hits and committed four errors.
Holmen got four runs in the first inning and another three in the second to gain a seven-run lead. After a scoreless third, Merrill got a four-run surge in the fourth, starting with Ty Belfiori batting in Ryan Golisch with a line drive to center. Right after, Jared Schmeltzer advanced to home on a throw and Nick Bowe batting in Belfiori with a line drive to center. Bowe advanced to home on a passed ball to get the fourth run.
Holmen got another run in the bottom of the fourth, but Merrill responded at the top of the fifth with a Drew Hoff advancing to home on the throw. Holmen would get two more runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the sixth to secure their victory.
Top hitters for Merrill include Schmeltzer (2H, 1R, 1RBI), Bowe (1H, 1R, 1RBI, double), Asmundsen (2H) and Belfiori (1H, 1R, 1RBI). Justin pitched the first five innings, striking out three, walking four, allowing 10 hits and 12 runs-eight earned. Brett Seubert pitched the last inning, striking out one, walking none, allowing two hits and one run-none earned.
Top fielders for Merrill include Dylan Anderson (5PO), Adam Messerschmidt (4PO), Asmundsen and Hoff (3PO each), Belfiori (2PO) and Schmeltzer (1PO, 1A).
Rhinelander edges out Merrill
The next day on Saturday, Merrill faced off against Rhinelander for the first of two games. Merrill lost to Rhinelander with a final score of 8-7. Merrill generated nine hits and committed three errors. A six-run rally by Rhinelander in the last inning could not be matched by Merrill, leading to the loss.
Merrill got off to a strong start with Golisch batting in Asmundsen with a hard grounder to short stop in the bottom of the first. Rhinelander tied the game up at the top of the second, but Merrill widened their lead in the bottom with three more runs, starting with Duginski batting in Pyan with a grounder to the pitcher. The frame ended with both Duginski and Anderson advancing to home on throws.
Merrill got another run in the bottom of the fourth with Dugisnki scoring off a wild pitch. Rhinelander got another run in the top of the fifth, but Merrill got two more runs in the bottom, one from Hoff courtesy of Bowe’s line drive to right and another from Schmeltzer courtesy of Belfiori’s sacrifice fly.
Unfortunately, after a scoreless six, Rhinelander rallied for six runs at the top of the seventh. Rhinelander started making solid contact with the ball that Merrill simply couldn’t work with. By the time the frame ended Rhinelander was up one run. Merrill was unable to secure any runs in the bottom, ceding victory to Rhinelander.
Top hitters for Merrill include Asmundsen (2H, 1R), Keenan Stellingworth (2H), Schmeltzer (1H, 1R, double), Anderson (1H, 1R), Bowe (1H, 1RBI), Pyan (1H, 1R) and Hoff (1R, 1BB, 1SB). Pitchers for the game include Trey Seubert with three walks, four hits and six runs-four earned, Brett Seubert with two walks, one hit and one run and Nick Bowe with one walk, one hit and one run.
Top fielders for Merrill include Messerschmidt and Golisch (4PO each), Bowe (3PO, 1A), and Pyan, Stellingworth, Belfiori and Hoff all with two putouts each.
Loss to Everest
Later that same day, Merrill faced off against DC Everest in a high scoring affair. Merrill lost to DC Everest with a final score of 15-8 with Merrill generating 12 hits and committing four errors.
Both teams got off to a roaring start with Merrill getting five runs at the top of the first. With the bases loaded, Schmeltzer ripped a powerful drive to center, hitting a home run and emptied the bases, good for four runs. Later, Trey Seubert hit a line drive to left also, batting in Pyan.
Everest was able to respond in the bottom with five of their own runs to tie the game up. After a scoreless second and third, Merrill got two more runs in the fourth with Golisch batting in both Duginski and Asmundsen with a line drive to center. Everest responded with four runs in the bottom to take a two-run lead. Merrill got their last run in the top of the fifth with Stellingworth batting in Anderson with a line drive to left.
Everest scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and an additional three in the bottom of the sixth. Merrill was unable to amass any more runs, ceding victory to Everest after the top of the seventh.
Top hitters for Merrill include Schmeltzer (2H, 1HR, 1R, 4RBI), Golisch (2H, 1R, 2RBI), Duginski (2H, 1R), Trey Seubert (2H, 1R), Hoff (1H, 1R, 2BB, 2SB), Asmundsen (1H, 2R, 1BB, 1SB), Pyan (1H, 1R) and Stellingworth (1H, 1RBI). Golisch pitched the first four innings, striking out four, walking four, allowing nine hits and nine earned runs. Hoff pitched the rest of the game, striking out none, walking four, allowing two hits and six runs-three earned.
Top fielders include Pyan (5PO), Duginski (4PO), Asmundsen (3PO, 2A), Belfiori (3PO), Hoff (1PO, 1A) and Messerschmidt and Golisch with a putout each.
Short game against Holmen
Merrill faced off against Holmen again on Sunday, playing a shorter four-inning game. The game was called early due to weather and the fact Holmen had a three-hour drive back. The final score was 5-4 with Merrill victorious. Merrill mustered six hits and committed one error.
After a scoreless first, Holmen got the jump on Merrill with four runs in the top of the second. Merrill adjusted and started their run with a picturesque home run, courtesy of Schmeltzer. Later, Anderson batted in Belfiori with a grounder to short stop and Asmundsen batted in Duginski with a hard grounder to left. After a scoreless third, Merrill took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with Hoff batting in Messerschmidt with a grounder to short stop and Schmeltzer walking with the bases loaded, sending Anderson on third home for the fifth run. The game was called right after.
Top hitters include Schmeltzer (1H, 1R, 1HR, 2RBI, 1BB), Anderson (1H, 1R, 1RBI, 1BB), Belfiori (1H, 1R, 1BB, 1SB), Duginski (1H, 1R) and Hoff (1H, 1RBI). Befliori pitched all four innings, striking out two, walking one, allowing five hits and four runs-one earned. Top fielders include Messerschmidt (4PO), Golisch (3PO, 1A), Anderson (3PO), Schmeltzer (1PO, 1A) and Belfiori (1PO).
Stats provided by GameChanger.
