Long Eighth the Difference as Tigers Drop Opener

5/4/08

The Springfield Tigers opened their 2008 season at Riverside Park facing their rival Lamberton Long Sox. It was a well played game for both teams, except for the top of the eighth inning in which the Long Sox batted 15 and the wheels just plain fell off for Springfield. A highlight for the home team was a long home run by Dave Groebner in his first game for the Tigers since 1999.

The Long Sox were first on the board in the top of the third inning, taking advantage of a lead-off walk, a sacrifice bunt and three straight singles to plate two runs and take a 2-0 lead. Colby Pack started on the mound for Lamberton and held the Tigers hitless until the bottom of the fourth. Adam Beers led off with a base hit. Brady Schwab followed with a single before Groebner launched a blast over the right field fence for a three-run homer, giving Springfield the lead 3-2.

The Tigers extended the lead in their half of the fifth. Bob Fink got on with a one-out single. Schwab came through with another hit. This time a triple to right-center, plating Fink and pushing the Tiger tally to 4. Matt Tews kept the score at 4-2 through six innings. Andy Neidt came on to pitch in the top of the seventh and surrendered two runs on two Long Sox hits and a hit batter.

Springfield had an opportunity to break the 4-4 tie in the bottom of the inning when Marty Brandl led off with a double. Fink followed with a single. Schwab was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out setting up the double-play. Lamberton was able to get out of the inning getting Groebner and Tews for the final two outs ending the Tiger scoring opportunity.

Things got crazy in the Lamberton eighth. They batted ten before the first out was recorded. Neidt faced four batters before giving way to Jesse Berg. The Long Sox took advantage of five walks and a hit batter, combined with five hits to plate 9 runs pushing the score to 13-4, which was the final.

Andy Neidt took the loss in his Springfield mound debut. The Tigers will look to build on the positives from the opener and return to action next weekend with a pair of games. Saturday night they travel to Milroy to take on the Yankees in an exhibition game. Then they'll head over to Essig for a Mother's Day match up against the Bluejays.

Linescore

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
Lamberton	0	0	2	0	0	0	2	9	0	13	15	0	11
Springfield	0	0	0	3	1	0	0	0	0	4	9	2	7

Springfield Box

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
Fink, RF	5	1	2	0	0	0
Beers, LF	5	1	1	0	0	2
Schwab, 2B/3B	3	1	2	1	1	1	3B
Groebner, DH	3	1	1	3	1	1	HR
Neidt, 1B/P	-	-	-	-	-	-
Tews, P/1B/2B	3	0	0	0	0	0	HP
C. Sturm, CF	3	0	2	0	1	1
Krebs, CF	-	-	-	-	-	-
Berg, 3B/P	3	0	0	0	0	1	SAC
Haseleu, SS	4	0	0	0	0	0
C. Moritz, C	3	0	0	0	0	1
Brandl, PH	1	0	1	0	0	0	2B
	33	4	9	4	3	7
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Tews	6	8	2	2	1	5
Neidt (L, 0-1)	1	3	6	6	3	0
Berg	2	4	5	4	2	1

Pictures