Tigers Battle Back to Defeat A's

6/27/08

The division leading St. James A's were the guests as the Tigers added to the Friday night entertainment during Springfield's annual Riverside Days celebration. After falling behind 4-1, the home team would battle back for a 7-5 victory.

Jake Miesen started on the mound for the Tigers. St. James started the scoring in the top of the first, putting together a one-out single with a two-out double to take a quick 1-0 lead. Springfield went right to work in the bottom of the inning as Brady Schwab worked a two-out walk, stole second and came in to score on a base hit by Bob Fink, evening the score at one.

The A's staged a two-out rally in their half of the third. St. James took advantage of a walk and a Tiger error, coupled with two doubles to jump back into the lead at 4-1. Springfield answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally of their own. Matt Baier and Schwab both singled. Fink picked up his second and third RBIs of the game driving in Baier and Schwab with a single to make the score 4-3.

Andy Moritz got a leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth. Baier moved him over with a sacrifice bunt. Moritz advanced to third on a wild pitch and Schwab drove in the tying run with a sacrifice fly. In the home half of the seventh, Moritz got a two-out base hit before Baier crushed a triple, pushing across the fifth run for the Tigers and giving them a 5-4 lead.

Miesen settled in after surrendering the three runs in the third inning. He got the first two out in the eighth and left the game with two runners on base. Jesse Berg entered the game in relief and gave up a single which drove in the tying run, making the score five all, before getting the third out of the inning.

Fink started the home half of the eighth with a single. Adam Beers traded places with Fink reaching on a fielder's choice. Chris Strum singled. Marty Brandl gave the Tigers the lead, driving in Beers with a base hit. Zach Sturm reached on a fielder's choice before Jesse Berg moved Brandl around to score with a single, giving Springfield a two-run lead at 7-5.

Berg went out and retired the side in order in the ninth earning the win. Bob Fink led the Tiger bats with three hits. Andy Moritz, Matt Baier, and Chris Sturm added two hits each to the Tiger attack.

The win moves the Tigers to 9-10 overall and 8-7 in the Tomahawk East. Next up, the Tigers will take on the New Ulm Brewers.

Linescore

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB
St. James 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 5 9 0 9
Springfield 1 0 2 0 1 0 1 2 x 7 13 2 6

Springfield Box

AB R H RBI BB SO
A. Moritz, C 5 2 2 0 0 2
Baier, 3B 3 1 2 1 0 0 3B, SAC
   Kraska, 3B - - - - - -
Schwab, SS 2 2 1 1 1 0 SAC
Fink, RF 4 0 3 3 0 1
   C. Moritz, RF - - - - - -
Beers, LF 4 1 1 0 0 0
C. Sturm, 1B 4 0 2 0 0 0
Brandl, DH 4 1 1 1 0 0
Haseleu, 2B - - - - - -
Z. Sturm, CF 3 0 0 0 1 1
Miesen, P 3 0 0 0 0 0
   Berg, P 1 0 1 1 0 0
33 7 13 7 2 4
IP H R ER BB SO
Miesen 7 2/3 8 5 2 3 5
Berg (W, 1-0) 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 1

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