One Big Inning Gives Tigers Win
4/27/13
After the winter that didn't want to end finally gave way to 70 degree temps to melt the most April snow in recent memory, the Springfield Tigers opened the 2013 season with an exhibition match-up against the Lake Crystal Nine on Saturday afternoon at Riverside Park. The key for the home team was bunching their hits together, in an extreme way in this case. Springfield got six of their seven total hits in a seven run bottom of the eighth to pull out a 7-6 victory.
Brandon Wilhelmi took the ball as he returned to the blue team after playing the last three seasons for the Marshall A's. Lake Crystal was able to get two runs on a pair of hits and a Tiger error in the top of the first.
It was spring training style pitching for Springfield as no one worked more than two innings and five pitchers got their work. Matt Vogel took the third and fourth innings allowing three runs to make the tally 5-0.
Lake Crystal sent Mitch Kelly to the mound. The Tigers' biggest threat against Kelly came in the bottom of the second when he loaded the bases by hitting two batters and walking a third with no one out. Kelly kept the Tigers off the board by getting out of the frame with three straight strikeouts. This started a stretch in which Kelly fanned nine out of ten batters.
Jason Nachreiner worked a pair of scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth. Wilhelmi greeted Lake Crystal's second hurler, Nate Kube with Springfield's first hit in the bottom of the fifth. After the double, Kube settled in to retire nine straight batters.
Mike Salazar worked a scoreless top of the seventh and started the eighth before a Tiger miscue, a double, and a pair of base on balls loaded the sacks with the score 6-0. Manager Steve Helget went to the bullpen to bring on Christian Loomis who was able to record three outs, while facing just two batters, and get out of the inning without any further damage.
Springfield's bats came alive in the home half of the eighth. Zach Bisel started the inning with a single. A Ryan Sturm base hit and Vogel being hit by a pitch loaded the bases with one down. Marc Salazar put the Tigers on the board with a bases clearing double. Danny Christensen followed with a double of his own off the third base bag, scoring Salazar. A Lake Crystal error kept the rally going and a walk loaded the bases. Bisel was hit by a pitch in his second at bat of the inning to drive in the fifth run of the inning. Even Davis took over on the mound for Lake Crystal and Jacob Menage greeted him with a two run single to put the Tigers up, 7-6.
Loomis worked around a one-out single to wrap up the win in the ninth.
Springfield was led offensively by Ryan Sturm who had two hits in the seven run eighth inning. Brandon Wilhelmi, Zach Bisel, Jacob Menage, Marc Salazar, and Danny Christensen all added one hit each to the Tiger total. Jake Dalton led Lake Crystal with three hits, while Jesse Van Sickle add two knocks for the visitors. Christian Loomis earned the win, working the final two innings, facing just six batters and striking out one. The loss for Lake Crystal went to Nate Kube who had worked three scoreless innings before getting touched for seven runs, four earned, on seven hits, while striking out six.
The opening victory for the Tigers will be something to build on as they open Tomahawk East League play on Sunday, May 5th when they host the Leavenworth Orioles at 2pm. Come on down and cheer on the Tigers!
NOTES: Brandon Wilhelmi wasn't the only returning Tiger on Saturday, Derek Krebs returned to the field for the blue team for the first time since 2007...The Tigers have not lost in April since 1999 when they fell to Heron Lake 12-11.
Linescore
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | LOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Crystal | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 15 |
| Springfield | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | x | 7 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
Springfield Box
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilhelmi, P/SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2B |
| Bisel, C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | HP |
| Menage, CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| R. Sturm, 3B/LF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Vogel, SS/P/3B | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | HP |
| Ma. Salazar, 1B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2B, HP |
| Loomis, 2B/P | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Christensen, 2B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2B |
| Brandl, RF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | HP |
| Nachreiner, P | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Mi. Salazar, P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Mx. Salazar, LF/RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| D. Krebs, RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 32 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 17 | ||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ||
| Wilhelmi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Vogel | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | |
| Nachreiner | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| Mi. Salazar | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
| Loomis (W, 1-0) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Pictures
