Bulldogs swing heavy bats in pair of diamond wins
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THE BULLDOGS’ first baseman Owen Konsti fielded this ground ball for an unassisted out in the fifth inning of an April 12 home baseball game against Bruce. Boyceville won 22-4. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
The Boyceville bats sang loud and clear last week as they produced 29 hits and 35 runs in a pair of baseball victories.
After surrendering an early lead in Durand last Thursday, April 11, the Bulldogs tallied seven runs in the final two innings including six in their final at bat to rally for a 13-10 Dunn-St. Croix win over the Panthers of Durand-Arkansaw.
The following day, the Bulldogs returned home to Evenson Field where they bombed Bruce 22-14 in a non-conference contest.
With those two wins, Boyceville improved to 2-1 in league play and 4-2 overall.
The Bulldogs welcomed the rival Hilltoppers to town Monday before they hit the road for conference games in Elk Mound on Tuesday and at Elmwood versus Elmwood-Plum City this Thursday. Boyceville returns to the friendly confines of Evenson Field next Monday, April 22 to host Colfax.
Durand-Arkansaw
Boyceville opened with a 4-0 lead when they played at Durand-Arkansaw’s Wayne Field Thursday, April 11.
That early advantage, however, did not last long.
The Panthers scored seven runs in the second inning and added three more in the fourth to eventually take a 10-5 lead.
“It was really two inning where we struggled pitching and fielding,” noted Bulldogs’ head coach Michael Roemhild.
“That has been the story of this team so far this season,” he continued. “When we are good, we are good and when we are bad we are really bad.”
“We need to cut down on all the mistakes, whether it is walking batters, making errors or forgetting where to throw the ball,” he added.
Fortunately, the Bulldogs never surrendered even in the face of some adversity.
While Durand-Arkansaw was able to knock out Boyceville’s top two hurlers, senior Devin Halama and sophomore Carson Roemhild, by the sixth inning, sophomore Landyn Leslie came to the rescue and provided some much needed stability on the mound. Leslie did not allow a hit or run in his two innings throwing the ball.
ANOTHER HIT — Boyceville’s Paul Kurschner is shown getting one of the three hits he had in an April 12 non-conference home game versus Bruce. The Bulldogs won 22 to 4. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Meanwhile, the Boyceville offense came back to life producing seven runs in those final two frames including six in the top of the seventh to secure a 13-10 come-from-behind victory.
The Bulldogs finished with 15 hits as five different players had multiple hits in the win. Halama, Carson Roemhild and Zach Kersten each tallied three hits which included a triple by Halama. Paul Kurschner and Nick Olson each finished with a pair of hits. Owen Rydel, Leslie and Carson Roemhild each finished with a pair of RBIs.
Leslie earned the mound win as he struck out a pair and walked two in 29 pitches. Halama went an inning and third, allowing five runs on one hits with four walks and a strike out. Carson Roemhild threw three and two-third innings and surrendered five runs on six hits , walked five and struck out seven.
Bruce
The Bruce Red Raiders brought an unblemished 2-0 record to Boyceville last Friday.
And what looked to be a competitive non-conference match-up never materalized.
Boyceville scored a dozen runs in the bottom half of the first inning, added four more in the second and another six in the fourth to blow out Bruce by a score of 22 to 4 in five innings.
“Our hitting has really been on lately and the first inning really showed that,” stated Coach Roemhild.
The coach noted that the 12, first inning runs were off some great hits, maybe none bigger than sophomore Owen Rydel’s first career varsity dinger – a 2-run shot.
In all, the Bulldogs collected 14 hits from nine different players. Carson Roemhild topped the offensive charts with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate including a pair of doubles as he scored a pair of runs and finished with three RBIs and a trio of stolen bases. Paul Kurschner was also perfect swinging the bat as he collected three hits in as many attempts with two runs scored and four RBIs which led the team. Rydel and Devin Halama also finished with three RBIs each.
Landyn Leslie started on the mound and pitched three strong innings in which he did not surrender a hit or run and struck out four and walked just one Red Raider to earn the victory. Paul Kurschner gave up three runs on one hit, walked three and struck out four in an inning on the mound. Zach Hellendrung came on in the fifth and threw 20 pitches and allowed a run and finished with a strike out.