Bulldogs defeat Hilltoppers in high-scoring baseball contest
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GLENWOOD CITY second baseman Caleb Klinger throw the baseball to second to get an out while teammate Max Janson looked on. Glenwood City lost 15-12 to Boyceville in the April 21 Dunn-St. Croix contest. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
BOYCEVILLE — If you like scoring and plenty of back-and-forth action, then this was the game for you!
In what was one of the most competitive and entertaining baseball games in many seasons between the two rivals, Glenwood City and Boyceville combined to produce 27 runs and 20 hits in a Dunn-St. Croix contest played last Friday at Evenson Field in conditions that seemed more suited for fall and football rather than spring baseball.
The Bulldogs were able to hold off the resurgent Hilltoppers and take a 15-12 victory in the April 21 game that also featured a plethora of miscues. Boyceville tallied a half dozen errors while visiting Glenwood City committed five.
“Besides the weather I couldn’t tell if this was a Friday night football game in September or a baseball game,” joked Boyceville head coach Michael Roemhild.
“Neither team pitched very well or played defense,” he added more seriously.
“I stress this everyday: if we want to play with the best teams we need to be able to play flawless defense and not give batters an easy way on (walks and hit batters),” continued Roemhild. “Right now there is a reason all of our games are close and high scoring; defense and pitching. If we can figure those two things out we will be a tough win for any team.”
BULLDOG junior Nick Olson (#4) beat the tag of Toppers’ catcher Peyton Theune to score Boyceville’s and the game’s first run during a Dunn-St. Croix baseball game versus rival Glenwood City last Friday, April 21 at Evenson Field. Boyceville won the game 15-12. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
It appeared early on as though Boyceville, who has won at least 19 straight in this series dating back to 2008, would continue its dominance over Glenwood City as it scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a couple of Hilltopper errors.
Finding itself trailing, Glenwood City did not roll over, but responded by putting seven runs on the scoreboard in the top half of the second.
The Toppers’ Peyton Theune started that inning by taking first base after being plunked by the Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Devin Halama. After Halama got his pitching counterpart Blake Fayerweather to ground out, Aaron Brigham singled. Glenwood City then loaded the bases when Caleb Klinger was hit by another Halama toss. Jayden Quinn came to the plate and delivered a double that plated Theune and Fayerweather.
Noah Brite became the third Topper batter to be hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded once again. Steven Booth singled to score Klinger and Quinn. Brite then crossed home on a wild pitch to give Glenwood City a 5-3 lead. Then Max Janson rapped a base hit to send Booth home. Janson stole second, and scored on a single off the bat of Theune, who was making his second appearance of the inning.
BASE HIT — Boyceville’s Braden Roemhild sent this fourth-inning pitch to the outfield for a hit during the Bulldogs home baseball game versus the Hilltoppers. Boyceville won 15-12. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Halama struck out Brite to finally retire the side.
Trailing by four runs entering the bottom of the second, Boyceville scored six times to retake the lead.
The Bulldogs’ second inning started much like the Hilltoppers with lead-off batter Reid Fenton being hit by a pitch from Fayerweather, who got Wyatt Sell to ground out in the next at bat. Fenton scored on a wild pitch and Max Janson relieved Fayerweather on the mound.
Braden Roemhild drew a walk and then Nick Olson took first after being struck by a pitch. Chase Hollister came up to bat and doubled, pushing Roemhild home and Olson to third. Olson stole home and Hollister came around to score on another wild pitch to knot the game at seven all.
But, the Bulldogs were not quite finished. Halama was issued a base on balls and Landyn Leslie laced a double that scored Halama with the go ahead run. In the next at bat, Zach Hellendrung also hit a double that scored Leslie for a 9-7 advantage before Glenwood City recorded the final two outs of the inning.
The Bulldogs tacked on two more runs in their half of the third when Olson, who reached on an error, and Hollister, who followed with a single, both scored.
Glenwood City took a run back in the top of the fourth when Quinn reached on an error and scored on a RBI-ground out by Booth. That made it 11-8 in the Bulldogs’ favor.
The teams played a scoreless fifth frame, but both were back to producing runs in the sixth.
TOPPER SENIOR third baseman Noah Brite prepared to pick up this ground ball and throw it to first to record an out during an April 21 baseball game in Boyceville. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Jayden Quinn looped a double to deep center field to open the inning. After a ground out by Brite, Booth reached on an error and Janson walked to load the bases.
Boyceville’s Chase Hollister, who had relieved Halama on the mound to start the fifth inning, got the Topper’s Peyton Theune to fly out to left for the second out only to hit Fayerweather in the next at bat to send Quinn to home plate. Booth and Janson then scored on a defensive error to tie the game at 11.
Boyceville plated four runs in the bottom half of the sixth. With one out, Roemhild drew a walk which was followed by a base hit off the bat of Olson and another walk, this one to Hollister, that loaded the bases. Roemhild scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch by Janson. Paul Kurschner grounded out but Olson scored. Halama doubled Hollister home and eventually scored on a Topper error that put the Bulldogs in front 15-11.
Glenwood City tried to rally in its final at bat in the top of the seventh. Brody Riba led off with a single, stole second, went to third on Quinn’s ground out and ended up stealing home to make it a 15-12 ball game.
But, Hollister slammed the door on a GC comeback when he got Booth to fly out to left for the game’s final out.
Boyceville finished with 11 hits led by a 3-for-3 plate performance from Devin Halama. Nick Olson, Chase Hollister and Landyn Leslie each finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Olson and Hollister scored four times and Halama touched home plate three times. Hollister earned the pitching victory, allowing four runs on two hits with four Ks and three walks. Halama surrendered eight runs on seven hits and struck out two in four complete innings of work.
Quinn, Janson and Brigham each had a pair of hits for the Toppers who tallied nine in all. Janson took the mound loss giving up six runs on seven hits in four and a third innings. He struck out four and walked three. Fayerweather lasted an inning and two-thirds in which he surrendered nine runs on three hits with three walks.