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Six-run first inning sparks Ithaca past Rib Lake, 9-0
Huebsch brothers, Clary throw 2-hitter
rib lake
Ithacas Caleb Olson reaches on an error against Rib Lake during the first inning.

Three Ithaca pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout as the Bulldogs romped to a 9-0 win over Rib Lake in the semi-finals of the WIAA State Division 4 baseball tournament at Grand Chute Wednesday.

Ithaca’s first seven hitters reached and six scored as the Bulldogs took control of the game.

Aaron Kepler and Caleb Olson each had three hits as coach Jeff Hilleshiem’s team improved to 23-3.

Meanwhile, Jacob Huebsch, Nolan Clary and Aaron Huebsch combined on a two-hit shutout.

Hilleshiem said it was a great way to start the tournament. He was able to give three pitchers some experience while saving some innings for all of them for the championship game.

The Bulldogs struck for six runs in the first inning. 

Singles by Joey Clary and Nolan Clary got the uprising started. Kepler singled in Joey Clary, and Olson singled in Nolan Clary. Kepler scored when Jacob Huebsch grounder was booted. Ross Ghastin singled home Olson, and Huebsch and Ghastin wound up scored on a passed ball and a wild pitch respectively. 

The Bulldogs continued their attack in the second inning. Kepler doubled with one out. Olson singled home Kepler. Huebsch singled. Courtesy runner Caden Moser stole second, Cody Klossowski walloped a blast to left-center that one-hopped the wall for a two-run double. 

Jacob Huebsch, the winning pitcher, retired the first six batters he faced. Noah Weinke opened the third with a single. The Bulldogs nearly turned a double play  when Joe Frombach grounded to second. They didn’t but they did when Joe Schellhauer grounded to Kepler at second. He flipped to Nolan Clary who relayed to first.

Huebsch faced nine batters in three innings. He fanned two and allowed one hit.

Nolan Clary gave up a hit and a walk and struck out two in his two-inning stint. 

The Bulldogs muffed opportunities to score in the fourth and sixth innings. 

Freshman Aaron Huebsch finished the game with two shutout innings. He walked one and struck out one.

Senior Jerry Reinhardt took the loss for the Redmen coached by former North Crawford athlete Dick Iverson. Reinhardt gave up 11 hits, nine runs with one strikeout and one walk. Bryan Solis Arenivas pitched the final inning. He gave up a walk and a hit and struck out one.

 

Rib Lake, which finished 18-8, committed two errors while the Bulldogs played error-free baseball.