Lakers Drown Tigers With Big Eighth
5/29/11
Springfield traveled to Hanska for a Sunday matinee at Hanlin Field. There were some pre-game sprinkles, but rain stayed away for the ballgame. The ball was really carrying as the teams combined for four home runs in what was a pitcher's duel until the bottom of the eighth when Hanska scored six runs to pull away with a 9-2 win.
Gary Wilfahrt, Jr. made the start for the Lakers. The Tigers started the game with back-to-back base hits from Jim Eckstein and Zach Bisel, but a pop-out followed by a double-play ball ended their first and best scoring opportunity of the day.
Springfield called on Jake Miesen to make his second start of the season. Just as the Tiger bats started hot, the Lakers got a solo homer from Eric Portner, a double from Derek Wilfahrt and a one-out RBI base hit from Brady Mosenden to plate two quick runs the bottom of the first.
Dave Kreft cut the Laker lead in half when he took the first pitch of the second inning over the left field fence. Both starters then settled in, exchanging zeros until the top of the fifth when Christian Loomis tied the game at two with a solo shot of his own.
With two down in the bottom of the sixth, Hanska hit their second homer of the day as Micade Thordson left the yard, putting the Lakers up 3-2. Springfield was able to get the lead-off batter on base in the seventh and eighth, but were not able to scratch across the tying run.
Hanska got a lead-off infield single in the bottom of the eighth. Miesen then got two outs, before the Lakers proceeded to take advantage of three walks and put together with a pair of run scoring doubles and a two-run single. Dave Kreft came on in relief and was finally able to retire the side, but not until they had scored six runs and taken a 9-2 lead. Mosenden came on the pitch the ninth for Hanska and wrap up the win.
Zach Bisel led Springfield's offense with two hits. Jim Eckstein, Adam Schmid, Matt Baier, Dave Kreft, and Christian Loomis all added one hit each. Gary Wilfahrt, Jr. picked up the win, going eight solid innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and striking out twelve. Jake Miesen was tagged with the loss, working seven and two-thirds innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
The loss drops Springfield to 3-2 in the Tomahawk East and 4-3 overall. The home run numbers are guaranteed to be less when the Tigers return home to the friendly confines of Riverside Park for an 8pm duel with the Gibbon Reds on Wednesday night. Come on down and cheer on the Tigers!
Linescore
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | LOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Hanska | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | x | 9 | 9 | 2 | 6 |
Springfield Box
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eckstein, LF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Schmid, LF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Bisel, C | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Baier, SS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Salazar, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Kreft, DH/P | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | HR, HP |
| Miesen, P | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Milbrath, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Sather, CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Brandl, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Loomis, 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | HR, HP |
| Christensen, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Krebs, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 35 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 12 | ||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ||
| Miesen (L, 0-1) | 7 2/3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | |
| Kreft | 1/3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Pictures
