By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports Editor
On a sweltering hot afternoon preceded by pomp and circumstance, it seemed only fitting that Sunday’s game between the Burlington Rotary Barons and the Waterford Rivermen was decided by a home run.
While both teams had their chances to score, it was Landon Tenhagen’s two-out home run in the bottom of the sixth inning that was the difference in the 2-0 game.
In the inning, Alex Hallenbeck reached on a throwing error and then stole second. After Dylan Friend struck out and Tell Taylor flew out, Tenhagen drove the ball over the right-field fence.
The Rivermen responded by putting a runner in scoring position in both the eighth and ninth innings.
In the top of the eighth, after Chris Harmeling grounded out to start the inning, Adam Brechtl reached on a single. Jason Jacobson struck out, but Bart Nowicki followed with a single that put runners at first and second.
But Brad Nowicki struck out to end the inning.
After the Rivermen shut the Barons down in the bottom of the inning, the ninth started with the Rivermen’s B.J. Ritzman flying out to first base.
But that was immediately followed by Austin Christensen’s double down the right-field line – his first hit of the game.
But Wade Axelson and Ben Korman both flew out to end the game.
Both teams looked like they might score in the first inning, but the Rivermen couldn’t capitalize on a walk and a hit by pitch issued by Baron pitcher Brian Henchel.
In the bottom of the first, Friend reached on a blooper single, then went to second on an error and third on a wild pitch.
But the Barons couldn’t get a hit to score him, and the threat ended.
Henchel pitched the complete game for the Barons, registering eight strikeouts over the final eight innings of the game. He also hit two batters, one of which loaded the bases with one out in the top of the third before the Barons’ defense stepped up.
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