TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
The Merrill Varsity Boys Baseball Team has been hitting it fast and furious. “We had six games this week – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and two on Saturday,” Shawn Schultz, Head Coach for the Merrill Varsity Boys Baseball Team said. “We were 4-2 on the week and are 4-4 in the Valley and 10-6 overall.”
“We lost to Mosinee 5-2 on Monday night, beat Wausau East 8-2 on Tuesday, lost to East 5-2 on Thursday, beat Antigo 8-2 on Friday, and then beat Eau Claire Memorial 6-2 and Onalaska 5-4 in Waunakee on Saturday,” he said. “The only home game was the Thursday loss to Wausau East.”
“It was a long week of baseball, but we played solid defense all week and our pitchers did a great job of limiting the opponents’ opportunities,” Schultz said. “Our hitters continue to improve and did a great job of executing on Saturday. We have a tough Wausau West team this week on Tuesday/Thursday and then play in the Lakeland Tournament on Saturday. It was impressive to see the kids step up this last week after a tough week the week before. Have to play with confidence and continue to execute.”
In game highlights, Sophomores Brady Kanitz and Isaak Clapper, and Seniors Fletcher Ellenbecker and Jack Hoock, all did time on the mound in Monday’s game against the Mosinee Indians. Michael McRae and Connor Cortright brought home the two runs for Merrill.
Box Score:
Merrill 2 @ Mosinee 5
Henry Reimann pitched all seven innings in the Tuesday game against Wausau East, and this game had Michael McRae and Erik Mann both rounding the bases three times each. Connor Cortright and Nathan Brzoznowski also brought in one run apiece.
Box Score:
Merrill 8 @ Wausau East 2
Tyson Glisch pitched four of seven innings, while Fletcher Ellenbecker pitched two, and Jack Hoock pitched one at the Thursday, May 5, home game. Wausau East took the win, but Merrill’s Erik Mann and Nathan Brzoznowski crossed home plate for Merrill in the second and seventh innings and the team gave it a great effort.
Box Score:
Wausau East 5 @ Merrill 2
At Antigo on Friday, May 6, the Bluejays took on the Red Robins and came away with the win. Brady Kanitz pitched all seven innings, Michael McRae and Sam Reimann each scored two runs, and Henry Reimann, Connor Cortright, Isaak Clapper, and Bradyn Pieper each scored one for the team.
Box Score:
Merrill 8 @ Antigo 2
Saturday, May 7, the Bluejays played Eau Claire Memorial Old Abes Varsity and made it a good one. Merrill scored their first run in the second inning and four more runs in the fourth. then the winning run in the sixth. Eau Claire pulled out one run in the fourth and another in the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough.
Isaak Clapper was on the mount five innings for Merrill, with Fletcher Ellenbecker pitching the other two. Henry Reimann brought in two runs, and Jack Hoock, Erik Mann, Nathan Brzoznowski, and Brayden Pieper each brought in one run apiece.
Box Score:
Merrill 6 @ Eau Claire 2
Merrill also played against Onalaska on Saturday and enjoyed another battle on the ball field. Onalaska scored the first run in the first inning and Merrill had zip. In the second inning, it was the reverse and that tied things up. No scores in the third and fourth innings, and then in the fifth, Onalaska made another run to take the lead. Merrill fought back in the sixth inning and brought home three runs to take a two-point lead, but it all came down to the seventh inning. Onalaska scored two runs to bring their total to four, but it wasn’t enough. Merrill scored another run for the win.
Sam Reimann pitched five innings for Merrill with Jack Hoock and Henry Reimann each pitching one. Erik Mann scored two runs in the game. Tyson Glisch, Emil (EJ) Weix, and Lucas Reist also scored runs for Merrill.
Box Score:
Onalaska 4 @ Merrill 5