Share |

A's Overcome Four Run Deficit, Eliminate Tigers

7/31/12

It was win or go home night at Riverside Park on Tuesday night as Springfield played host to St. James in game three of their playoff series. The Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings, but they could muster just three hits for the remainder of the contest. Meanwhile, the A's scored nine unanswered runs to end the Tigers' season and move on to the Region 2C Tournament.

Springfield called on right-hander Matt Vogel to handle the pitching duties. After allowing a lead-off single, he retired the next three batters to keep the Tigers from falling behind in the first inning. Entering the game Springfield had been outscored 35-16 in the first frame.

The home team's offense hit the ground running off of St. James starter, David Krause. Zach Bisel ripped a base hit. Vogel drew a walk to get two runners on. The bases were loaded when Alex Fink reached on an error. Ryan Sturm put the Tigers on the board with a solid single, driving in two runs. A second St. James miscue allowed Marc Salazar to reach base on an attempted sacrifice bunt, reloading the bases with no one out. Unfortunately, the rally would quickly fizzle when the A's got a 1-2-3 double-play and a fly out the end the inning.

After Vogel worked a scoreless second, Ryan Beyer started the home half of the inning with a bunt single. Pitcher David Krause left the game with an injury after attempting to field the bunt. Matt Dahl took over on the hill. Jacob Menage greeted him with a bunt single of his own. Bisel then drove in the Tigers' third run with his second hit of the game. Menage came in to score on a ground out to make the score 4-0.

St. James went to work in the top of the third, getting five hits. The biggest of which was a triple by Chris Menssen that pushed across a pair of runs. The A's third run scored when Menssen came home via a Tiger overthrow.

The score remained 4-3 until the top of the sixth. A one-out bunt single by Brandon Menssen started the rally. A Springfield error put the leading run on base for St. James. This time Joe Hager came through with an opposite field triple to deep left, putting St. James on top 5-4. After a walk, Alex Frank came on from the bullpen. A wild pitch and another Tiger miscue plated two additional runs before Frank induced a double-play to end the inning with the score 7-4.

Dahl did not allow another hit until the bottom of the sixth. Beyer dropped down a two-out bunt single. A walk to Menage ended Dahl's night on the mound. Sam Carlson took over and Bisel greeted him with his third hit of the night to load the bases. However, Carlson coaxed a ground ball to end the threat without any damage.

Fink smashed a single to start the bottom of the seventh. Salazar drew a walk to get two on with one out, but Carlson got a pair of ground balls to end the inning and Springfield's last threat of the ballgame.

Frank retired the A's in order in the seventh and eighth innings. He ran into some trouble in the ninth, allowing a pair of runs on two A's hits with the help of a balk. Carlson settled in to seal the victory, retiring the final seven batters he faced to make the final, 9-4.

Zach Bisel led the Tiger bats with three hits. Ryan Beyer added two bunt singles. Alex Fink, Ryan Sturm, and Jacob Menage added one hit apiece. St. James was led by Joe Krause, Brandon Menssen, and Joe Hager with two hits each. Matt Dahl earned the win working four and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts. Matt Vogel took the loss going five and one-third, surrendering seven runs, three earned, on nine hits with four strikeouts. Sam Carlson picked up the save, working the final three and one-third scoreless innings, allowing just two hits.

The loss ends Springfield's season with an overall record of 11-18. It was a season in which the Tigers had to replace three big contributors from the 2011 team: Matt Baier, Brady Schwab, and Jordan Milbrath. A number of players stepped up to fill the holes and with the year of experience under their belts the Tigers look to be very competitive in 2013.

Thanks to all those who support Springfield Tiger baseball! Best of luck to the St. James A's as they move on to the Region 2C Tournament beginning on Saturday! See you at the yard in 2013!

NOTES: Zach Bisel ended an 0-for-19 slump with his three hit night...The 2011 and 2012 playoffs were strikingly similar for the Tigers: home field win in game one, bats go cold in a game two loss pitched by Jason Nachreiner, and errors lead to allowing nine runs in a loss in game three at home...St. James joins Lamberton, New Ulm, Searles, Leavenworth, and Stark in the Region 2C Tournament. Four of those teams will represent the Tomahawk East League in the 2012 MN State Amateur Baseball Tournament held in St. Cloud...The Tigers will welcome a familiar face back to the squad in 2013, Brandon Wilhelmi. Wilhelmi last played for Springfield in 2009. He has played for the Marshall A's the last three seasons, but is returning to town with a teaching job at Springfield Elementary.


Linescore

123456789RHELOB
St. James00300400291124
Springfield2200000004849

Springfield Box

ABRHRBIBBSO 
Bisel, C413110 
Vogel, P/LF410110 
A. Fink, SS501000 
R. Sturm, 3B501201 
M. Salazar, 1B200010SAC
Loomis, 2B400000 
Tews, LF100010 
   Frank, P200001 
Beyer, CF412001 
Menage, RF311011 
 3448454 
        
 IPHRERBBSO 
Vogel (L, 0-2)5 1/397414 
Frank3 2/322222

Pictures

Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery     Click to view game photo gallery