Northwoods Legion baseball fights off game cancellations

It’s been a tough start to the summer baseball season for the area American Legion and Babe Ruth League baseball teams, with wet weather dominating the region over the last few weeks.

The Northwoods Legion baseball team, sponsored by Legion Post 431 in Three Lakes, has played in only two of its first four scheduled games due to weather postponements.

The first game was a 6-4 win at Rhinelander on June 12, and the other was a 12-6 home loss to Ironwood, Mich., on June 15.

In the season-opening win against Rhinelander, Northwoods scored all six of its runs in the top of the first.

“We jumped out fast and kept the lead all game. Jonathan Miller had a great day at the plate,” said Manager Dustin Hoeft.

The team batted around the order in the first, starting with Miller, who opened the game with two doubles in the first inning. Jonah Will singled in the next at-bat before two consecutive walks. It wasn’t until the sixth at-bat that Northwoods recorded an out. Six runs crossed the plate as the team collected five hits and two walks during the monster inning. Northwoods had three hits the rest of the way.

On the mound, Brody Hoeft had a strong three-inning outing for the Legion squad.
“He got the start and was dominant through three innings, not giving up a run,” Hoeft said. “Griffin Beyer came in after for three innings and was dominant as well, only giving up a single run. Our defense was very solid throughout the game.”

Heading into last week with a win under their belt, the team hosted Ironwood, Mich., on June 15.

The two teams battled back and forth for the opening five innings, where the team again scored all of its runs in the first three innings. Aiden Minx started the night strong with a double and later scored, while Miller doubled in the cleanup spot with one out in the first and was later driven in.

Three walks and a single helped Northwoods tally four more runs in the bottom of the third, but that’s where the offensive scoring stopped for the night.

“We fought back and forth with Ironwood until the fifth inning,” explained Hoeft. “We ultimately ran ourselves out of innings and gave up too many errors, and the game was called early due to weather.”

The team had a good start to the week weather-wise, as Northwoods will play Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, before playing in a tournament this weekend in Merrill on Friday and Saturday.