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Tigers Get Stuck on Four, Fall in Ninth

7/13/12

Friday night marked the annual Merchant's Appreciation Night as Springfield hosted Leavenworth at Riverside Park. The Tigers also welcomed special guest announcer Dick Jonckowski. Springfield jumped out to a 4-0 lead, but Leavenworth battled back to tie the game in the seventh. A two-out double in the top of the ninth pushed across the winning run for the Orioles, as they pulled out a 5-4 win.

Alex Frank took the hill for the Tigers. The Orioles got a couple runners in scoring position in the first, but Frank worked his way out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.

Frank's mound opponent was Briar Braulick. Braulick allowed just a single to Ryan Sturm the first time through the order. The second time through was a different story.

Alex Fink drove a base hit to left to start things in the bottom of the fourth. Sturm was hit by a pitch and Christian Loomis drew a free pass to pack the sacks. Then Marc Salazar crushed a double to deep center field to drive in Springfield's first two runs. A ground out scored Loomis and an infield single by Ryan Beyer scored Salazar to make the score 4-0.

After working out of the jam in the first, Frank faced no more than four batters in any inning until the sixth. In the sixth, Zach Mickelson led off with a single. Braulick helped himself with a double. Sturm made a nice play to get Mickelson out at the plate on a fielder's choice for the first out. A walk loaded the bases. Sturm turned in another nice play on a foul fly ball to get the second out. Before the third out could be recorded, Mike Berberich came through with a clutch single to make the score 4-2.

Springfield's defense let them down in the top of the seventh. After an infield hit, Leavenworth took advantage of three Tiger errors to plate two runs and even things up at four.

Jason Nachreiner took over the mound duties in the eighth. He walked the lead-off batter, but worked his way out of the jam. In the ninth the result would not be the same, when the inning began with another walk. Braulick hit a single to left. Base runner, Andy Cook, who had advanced to second via a stolen base, attempted to score, but was thrown out by left fielder Matt Vogel at the plate for the second out of the inning. With two down and a runner at second, it was Chris Reinarts' turn to come through in the clutch as he ripped a double to score Braulick, putting the Orioles on top, 5-4.

The Tiger bats were held in check after their four run fourth. They were able to muster just a pair of infield hits the rest of the way. Springfield's biggest opportunity came in the bottom of the eighth when they were able to load the bases via a couple walks and a hit batter. However, Braulick was able to get out of the jam and work a three-up, three-down bottom of the ninth to earn the complete game victory for Leavenworth.

Marc Salazar led the Springfield offense with two hits and two RBIs. Alex Fink, Ryan Sturm, Ryan Beyer, and Jacob Menage added one hit each. Briar Braulick led Leavenworth with three hits. While Zach Mickelson added two knocks. Braulick earned the complete game win for the Orioles, giving up four earned runs on just six hits, with five strikeouts and four walks. Jason Nachreiner took the loss for the Tigers, working two innings, giving up one run on two hits with one strikeout, but two bases on balls.

The loss drops the Tigers back to .500 in Tomahawk East League play at 9-9 and 9-13 overall on the year. Springfield will hit the road on Sunday night to travel to Johnson Park in a match up against the New Ulm Brewers scheduled for a 7:30pm start. Go Tigers!

NOTES: Dick Jonckowski last announced in Springfield when they hosted the 1968 State Amateur Tournament. Before the game, he took a look at what remains of the former pressbox under the grandstand and shared memories of working the game there...Alex Frank is 3-0 and has posted a 2.17 ERA in four games since his baseball bag was "cleaned out"...The 5-4 score was the third time in the last five games that the Tigers have played to a final of 5-4...The Orioles' win was their first regular season victory in Springfield since 2008.


Linescore

123456789RHELOB
Leavenworth0000022015909
Springfield0004000004637

Springfield Box

ABRHRBIBBSO 
Bisel, C400010 
Vogel, LF500002 
A. Fink, SS311010 
R. Sturm, 3B211000SAC, HP
Loomis, 2B210010SAC
M. Salazar, 1B3122002B, HP
Schmid, DH300111 
Frank, P------ 
   Nachreiner, P------ 
Beyer, CF301101 
   Mx. Salazar, PH100000 
Menage, RF401001 
 3046445 
        
 IPHRERBBSO 
Frank7 74226 
Nachreiner (L, 1-1)2 21121

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