By Jared Schmeltzer
Reporter
On Friday night the Merrill Rangers baseball team traveled to Rib Lake for a league match up. Merrill would lead throughout the game, however a big hit in the final inning got Rib Lake a walk off win.
Three runs in the first inning gave the Rangers a solid lead. Jared Schmeltzer led off the game with a single to right field, followed by a double by Brad Kanitz, moving Schmeltzer to third where he would score on a ground out by Chris Grunenwald. Justin Pyan then singled to score another Merrill run, with Garret Pagel driving in the final run of the inning on an error by the third baseman.
Rib Lake would score one run in the third inning to make it a two run game, until the Rangers responded with one of their own in the fifth. Dan Duginski led off the inning with a double and would later score on a single by Pyan to make it a 4-1 game.
The Rangers wouldn’t score another run in the game as Rib Lake went on to score one run in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to tie the game. In the bottom of the ninth a leadoff double got a runner in scoring position and Rib Lake would capitalize with a single to win the game.
Shawn Schultz started on the mound for Merrill and went seven innings, giving up four runs. Justin Pyan would finish the game for Merrill and give up only one run.