By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter
It was anyone’s game going in to the seventh inning, but Antigo bested Merrill’s Post 46 with a final score of 5-2 last night at Athletic Park. Merrill generated seven hits and committed four errors.
The game started off with three scoreless innings. Both teams played very deliberately, rarely allowing base hits. When base hits did occur, each team’s defense usually did a good job of shutting it down before any runs could be scored. At the top of the fourth, with two outs on the board, Antigo got their first run of the game off a walk. After a scoreless fifth, Antigo squeezed in another run in the top of the sixth off a passed ball.
Most of the game’s action happened in the last inning. Antigo got three more runs in the top of the seventh, one on a passed ball, on a grounder to short stop and another on a steal of home. With two outs in the bottom frame, Merrill got their first run with Ryan Golisch reaching first on error with his grounder to short stop, allowing Dylan Anderson to score.
After Adam Messerschmidt advanced to third during the last play, Jared Schemltzer reached first on another error with his grounder to third, allowing Messerschmidt to run home. Unfortunately, Merrill good no more runs in the frame.
It was a low hitting affair for both teams. Top hitters for Merrill include Ty Belfiori (2H, 1BB), Anderson (1H, 1R, 1BB), Messerschmidt (1H, 1R), and Justin Pyan, Drew Hoff and Ryan Golisch with a hit each. Belfiori pitched for most of the game, striking out three, walking five, allowing five hits and five runs-two earned. Two thirds the way through the top of the seventh, Trey Seubert took over on the mound for a brief moment, allowing one hit and nothing else.
Golisch led the fielding effort at first with nine putouts and an assist. Other top fielders include Anderson (4PO), Hoff (3PO), Schmeltzer (2PO, 3A), Nick Bowe (1PO, 4A), Pyan (1PO, 2A) and Messerschmidt (1PO).
As the AA regional tournament continues, Merrill will face Rhinelander tonight at 5 p.m. at Athletic Park.
Stats provided by GameChanger.
