Sleepy Eye Soaks Springfield

5/25/12

Springfield played host to Sleepy Eye on a drizzly Friday night. A light sprinkle for much of the game required the use of many baseballs as the Tigers fell behind 9-1. They battled back to get within four, but the early deficit was too much to overcome.

Alex Frank made the start on the mound for the home team. After a quick first inning, he found himself in trouble in the top of the second, when five straight Indian batters reached base. Sleepy Eye took a 3-0 lead in the inning.

Right-hander Alan Woitas was Frank's mound opponent. He stranded a couple base runners in the bottom of the second in Springfield's first threat of the evening. In the fourth, Marc Salazar started things with a single. Ryan Sturm drew a walk to continue the rally. A popped up sacrifice bunt attempt led to the first out of the inning. Jacob Menage loaded the bases when he ripped his second hit of the night. The Tigers got on the scoreboard when Christian Loomis drove a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Sturm to make the score 3-1.

Just when Springfield cut into the lead, they gave it right back in the next half-inning. A one-out double by Jake Bohnen, followed by a Tiger error and two more Sleepy Eye hits, made the score 6-1. Frank was tagged with another three spot in the sixth when he allowed four hits, including a pair of two-baggers.

Matt Helget took over the mound duties in the bottom of the sixth for Sleepy Eye. Sturm greeted him with a single. Jordan Milbrath followed up with a base hit of his own and it appeared as though Springfield was gaining some momentum. The Indians helped out with an error, allowing Sturm to score, but that would be all.

Mike Salazar came on in relief in the top of the seventh. Sleepy Eye got a couple hits and a run, but then he settled in to retire to last eight batters he faced over the final three frames.

Springfield started both the seventh and eighth innings with their first three batters reaching base. They were able to scratch across just one run in the seventh before the rally fizzled. In the eighth, they made it interesting getting a big two-run single from Alex Fink. A wild pitch gave the Tigers their sixth run, but again, that would be all.

Andrew Woitas got the call to pitch the bottom of the ninth and retired the side in order to seal Sleepy Eye's 10-6 victory.

Leading the way at the plate for the Tigers were Alex Fink, Zach Bisel, and Jacob Menage with two hits each. Marc Salazar, Ryan Sturm, Jordan Milbrath, Adam Schmid, and Marty Brandl each contributed one hit to the Springfield attack. For Sleepy Eye, Jake Bohnen, Cody Nachreiner, and Derek Nachreiner had three hits each. Joey Walter and Landon Zinniel each had a pair of hits for the Indians. Alan Woitas earned the win, working five solid innings, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts. Alex Frank took the loss, going six innings, giving up nine runs, seven earned, on twelve hits, with three strikeouts.

The loss drops Springfield to 1-3 in league play and 1-4 overall in 2012. The Tigers will enjoy the Memorial Day weekend before returning to the field to host Lamberton on Wednesday, May 30th. Go Tigers!

Linescore

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
Sleepy Eye	0	3	0	0	3	3	1	0	0	10	14	1	8
Springfield	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	3	0	6	11	2	12

Springfield Box

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
A. Fink, DH	5	1	2	2	0	0
Frank, P	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mi. Salazar, P	-	-	-	-	-	-
Bisel, C	5	0	2	0	0	0
Ma. Salazar, 1B	4	0	1	0	1	1
R. Sturm, CF/LF/3B	2	2	1	0	2	0	HP
Milbrath, RF	3	0	1	1	1	0	SAC
Menage, LF	3	0	2	0	0	0
Beyer, CF	2	0	0	0	0	1
Loomis, 3B/2B	3	1	0	2	1	1	SAC
Christensen, 2B	3	0	0	0	0	1
Schmid, LF	2	1	1	0	0	0
Haseleu, SS	4	1	0	0	0	1
Brandl, PH	1	0	1	0	0	0
	37	6	11	5	5	5
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Frank (L, 0-3)	6	12	9	7	4	3
Mi. Salazar	3	2	1	1	0	1

Pictures