Glenwood City baseball season ends with regional semifinal loss to Rib Lake
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RIB LAKE — Glenwood City was looking to reach the regional baseball final for a second straight year.
Last season, Glenwood City stunned host and higher seed Rib Lake in the regional semifinal before falling to eventual state-qualifier Chippewa Falls McDonell Central in the championship game.
Last Wednesday, May 29, the eighth-seeded Hilltoppers again traveled the 100 or so miles east to Rib Lake High School to face the Redmen, co-champs of the Marawood North Conference and the top seed, in another WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal contest.
Unfortunately, there would be no upset this year as Rib Lake scored five runs in the final two innings to defeat Glenwood City 7-3 in a game that was postponed a day due to standing water on the Redmen’s field.
The following day, Rib Lake (17-5) beat fellow conference mate and number four seed Athens (8-10) for the third time this season by a 6-5 count to win the regional crown and a berth in yesterday’s sectional tournament in Bruce.
Rib Lake scored a pair of first-inning runs when it picked up three base hits off Glenwood City starting pitcher Peyton Theune. The Toppers’ senior hurler also hit a Redmen batter and surrendered a walk.
Theune would settle in after the first inning, throwing three scoreless innings.
Unfortunately, Glenwood City was unable to put any runs on the scoreboard during that span.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning that the Toppers finally scored a run when junior Caleb Klinger singled with two outs, stole second base and scored on a double to right-center field by senior Steven Booth.
But, Rib Lake extended its advantage to 5-1 in the bottom half of that same inning with three scores.
Glenwood City took back a run in the top of the sixth. Sophomore Brody Riba singled with one out and made it all the way to third on Sam Cassellius base hit to deep center field. Riba then stole home to cut the GC deficit to 5-2.
The Redmen, however, plated two runs in the bottom portion of the sixth which extended their lead to five runs.
In Glenwood City’s final at bat in the top of the seventh, Klinger walked to lead off the inning, went to third on a Brock Wood double and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Theune. But, with two outs junior Blake Fayerweather flew out to left field to end the game and the Hilltoppers’ season.
Theune pitched five innings, surrendering five runs on eight hits to take the loss. He struck out nine and walked three. Fayerweather came to the mound in the sixth and allowed a pair of runs on a hit and a walk and struck out three.
Game hits were nearly even as the hosts finished with nine and the Hilltoppers eight.
Brock Wood and Riba tallied two hits apiece with one of Wood’s going for a double. Booth doubled for his lone hit while Cassellius, Jake Wood and Klinger each finished with a single. Booth and Theune each had an RBI.
Glenwood City struck out seven times, drew five free passes, left seven on base and committed a pair of fielding errors.
With the season-ending loss, the Hilltoppers finished with an overall record of 7-10.
The squad loses just two seniors – Steven Booth and Peyton Theune, both of whom were all-conference selections this season.