Springfield Finishes Regular Season With Win Over Searles
7/26/09
As the Tigers took the field on Sunday night at Riverside Park, their first round playoff opponent was yet to be decided. The Springfield bats helped make things clear as they slugged their way to a 9-5 win over the Searles Grizzlies. The win meant a third place finish in the Patriot Division and a best-of-three match-up against the Stark Longhorns.
Brandon Wilhelmi led off with a double in the bottom of the first. After Matt Tews reached on a Searles error, Ryan Sturm came through with a single, driving in the Tiger's first run. Marc Salazar followed with an RBI base hit of his own to give Springfield a 2-0 lead. Jake Miesen made the start on the hill for the home team. He allowed three hits and a run in the top of the third as the Grizzlies pulled within one, 2-1.
Springfield broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth. Salazar started with a double. Chris Sturm followed with a single and Jordan Milbrath picked up an RBI with a base hit. Andy Moritz walked to load the bases. Ken Sather kept things going with an RBI single. Wilhelmi continued the inning's theme with a single driving in two runs. Matt Baier picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly. Tews followed with a single. Finally, Ryan Sturm drove in Springfield's sixth run of the inning with a single and the Tigers took an 8-1 lead into the top of the fifth.
The Grizzlies picked up two runs on three hits in the top of the sixth to get within five, 8-3. In the bottom of the inning, Baier led off with a single. A sacrifice moved him up to second and an RBI single by Ryan Sturm, his third of the night, made the score 9-3. Jordan Milbrath worked the eighth inning, allowing one run on one hit, two walks, and a wild pitch. Jason Nachreiner finished things up in the top of the ninth. It wasn't easy, however, as Searles put together two hits, which along with two walks accounted for one run and the bases loaded. Nachreiner's third strikeout of the inning, ended the Searles threat and the game.
Jake Miesen worked seven strong innings, allowing 3 runs and earning his second win of the season. Springfield's seventeen hit barrage was paced by Ryan Sturm and Marc Salazar with three hits each. Brandon Wilhelmi, Matt Baier, Jordan Milbrath, and Ken Sather contributed two hits each to the Tiger attack. Matt Tews, Chris Sturm, and Marty Brandl each added a hit to the Tiger total. The win evens the Tigers' league record at 11-11, good for a third place finish in the Patriot Division of the Tomahawk East League. Everyone's record will be back at 0-0 on Friday when Springfield travels to Stark to open a best-of-three game divisional playoff series. The Tigers will look to pick up their first win against Longhorns on the season. Come on over and cheer on the Tigers as they look to make a playoff run!
Linescore
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | LOB | |
| Searles | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 10 |
| Springfield | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | x | 9 | 17 | 1 | 7 |
Springfield Box
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | ||
| B. Wilhelmi, SS | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2B |
| Christensen, SS | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Baier, 2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | SAC |
| Tews, RF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SAC |
| Cook, RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| R. Sturm, 3B | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| Salazar, 1B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2B(2) |
| C. Sturm, LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Milbrath, DH/P | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Brandl, PH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nachreiner, P | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Miesen, P | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Moritz, C | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Sather, CF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 37 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | ||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ||
| Miesen (W, 2-4) | 7 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Milbrath | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Nachreiner | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Pictures
