Orioles Force Game Three

7/31/11

Springfield and Leavenworth met for game two of their series on Sunday night in Leavenworth. Entering the contest, the Tigers were 2-7 since 2003 at the home of the Orioles, with their last win coming in 2007. Sunday night wouldn't be their night as they fell, 8-3, in a contest filled with unearned runs. Only three of the game's eleven runs were earned.

Gabe Hirsch took the hill for Leavenworth and didn't allow a hit until Matt Tews broke through with a lead-off single in the fourth. Jason Nachreiner was Hirsch's mound opponent. Nachreiner retired the side in order in the bottom of the first and it appeared as though a pitcher's duel could be about to unfold.

Leavenworth got on the board in the bottom of the second with two unearned runs. A Springfield error along with singles by Briar Braulick, Chad Armbruster, and Mike Berberich put Leavenworth up 2-0.

Nachreiner had a tough time finding the zone in the bottom of the third. After Hirsch helped himself with a lead-off single, Nachreiner walked the next two batters to load the bases. A sac fly by Jake Schwartz put the Orioles up by three.

The bottom of the fourth saw the Orioles with another big scoring threat when they loaded the bases, via a double, Springfield error, and a base on balls. Chris Reinarts was hit by a pitch to push across Leavenworth's fourth run of the evening.

The ball seemed to start bouncing Springfield's way in the top of the sixth. Tews, Brady Schwab, and Dave Kreft had base hits, that along with an Oriole miscue, cut the Leavenworth lead in half.

Nachreiner battled through the seventh and eighth innings, allowing four more Oriole runs. A ball lost in a tough sky led to the two-run seventh. The Tigers' third error of the evening in the bottom of the eighth resulted in two more runs and made the score 8-2.

Andy Cook relieved Hirsch in the top of the eighth. Springfield got an unearned run in the top of the ninth, but that would be all, as they fell, 8-3.

Hirsch and Cook kept the Springfield bats pretty quiet, as just three players had hits. Matt Tews led the way with three singles. Dave Kreft had two hits and the Tigers lone RBI of the night. Brady Schwab rounded out the offense with a base hit. Chris Reinarts and Mike Berberich led Leavenworth with two hits each. Gabe Hirsch earned the win for the Orioles, working seven innings, giving up just two unearned runs on five hits with eight strikeouts. Jason Nachreiner shouldered the loss for the Tigers, battling through all eight innings, allowing just three earned runs on eleven hits, with four strikeouts.

The series moves back to Riverside Park on Tuesday night for the decisive game three. It's win or go home time as the Tigers and Orioles will battle to get their ticket punched for the Region 2C tournament with a win. A big positive out of Sunday's game for Springfield is that Nachreiner was the only pitcher used. That means the Tigers will have all arms on deck as they fight to move on in postseason play. Go Tigers!

Linescore

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
Springfield	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	3	6	3	9
Leavenworth	0	2	1	1	0	0	2	2	x	8	11	2	9

Springfield Box

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
Baier, 3B	3	0	0	0	1	0	HP
Tews, RF/LF	5	1	3	0	0	0
Sather, CF	-	-	-	-	-	-
A. Fink, SS	4	0	0	0	1	2
Schwab, C	3	0	1	0	0	0	HP
Christensen, CR	0	1	0	0	0	0
Milbrath, CF/RF	4	0	0	0	0	3
Salazar, 1B	3	0	0	0	0	1	HP
Kreft, DH	4	0	2	1	0	0
Nachreiner, P	-	-	-	-	-	-
Loomis, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	1
Christensen, PH	0	1	0	0	1	0
Bisel, LF	2	0	0	0	0	1
B. Fink, RF	1	0	0	0	0	0
Frank, RF	1	0	0	0	0	1
	33	3	6	1	3	9
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Nachreiner (L, 2-2)	8	11	8	3	3	4

Pictures