Tigers Have Long Night in Stark

7/31/09

Solid pitching and a rain delay combined for a long night for the Tigers in Stark on Friday night in game one of the Tomahawk East playoffs. Springfield was able to muster just four hits off Longhorn hurler, Josh Hadley, while striking out sixteen times as they fell behind 0-1 in the best-of-three series.

Jake Miesen took the hill for Springfield and was touched for two runs in the bottom of the first, as Stark put together three straight hits to take an early 2-0 lead. In the top of the second, Marc Salazar ripped a one-out single up the middle. Jordan Milbrath reached on an error and with runners at first and second, Jesse Berg came through with a clutch single, driving in Salazar and getting Springfield within one.

That would be all for the Springfield offense, as Hadley sailed through the Tiger lineup, facing just two batters over the minimum during the final seven innings of the ballgame. The Longhorns extended their lead in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of Springfield miscues and extending their lead to three at 4-1. Rain delayed the game one hour and twenty-three minutes going into the top of the fourth. Both starters remained in the game after the delay and seemed to benefit from the rest.

Miesen rolled through the fourth and fifth before running into trouble in the bottom of the sixth. After two were out, a Tiger error extended the inning and Stark capitalized with two singles pushing their lead to 6-1. Berg came on to pitch in the bottom of the seventh, but left the game with an injury after slipping on the rain-soaked mound. Milbrath came on and faced just six batters as he worked the final two innings of the ballgame.

Jake Miesen picked up the loss, going six innings and allowing nine hits, but just two earned runs. Offensively, Matt Tews, Marc Salazar, Jesse Berg, and Brent Haseleu accounted for the Springfield hits with one single each. The loss means the Tigers will have their backs against the wall on Sunday night at Riverside Park. It's win or go home for the blue team. The situation is very similar to the 2007 playoffs when the Tigers faced Stark in a best of three series with the winner advancing to the Region 2C Tournament. Two years ago, the Tigers were ten-runned in Stark to start the series, but returned home to win a thriller 4-3, after which Springfield defeated Stark in game three to move on to the region and eventually the State Tournament. Will history repeat itself? Find out Sunday night as the first pitch is scheduled for 8pm. We'll see you at the ballpark!


Linescore

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB
Springfield 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 4 4
Stark 2 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 x 6 9 3 10

Springfield Box

AB R H RBI BB SO
B. Wilhelmi, C 4 0 0 0 0 3
Baier, SS 4 0 0 0 0 2
Tews, 2B/3B 4 0 1 0 0 0
C. Sturm, LF 4 0 0 0 0 3
Salazar, 1B 4 1 1 0 0 1
Sather, CF 3 0 0 0 0 3
Milbrath, DH/P 3 0 0 0 0 0
Miesen, P/3B - - - - - -
Berg, 3B/P 2 0 1 1 0 1
   Haseleu, 2B 1 0 1 0 0 0
Frank, RF 2 0 0 0 0 2
   Brandl, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1
32 1 4 1 0 16
IP H R ER BB SO
Miesen (L, 2-5) 6    9 6 2 1 5
Berg 0    0 0 0 1 0
Milbrath 2    0 0 0 0 1

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