Springfield Defeats Lamberton

7/18/12

For the second straight Wednesday night Springfield and Lamberton were opposing each other. This time the Tigers played host at Riverside Park, looking to redeem themselves after the 8-1 loss in Lamberton a week earlier. The fans were treated to an excellent ballgame. The Long Sox took an early lead, but the Tigers battled back to pull out a 3-2 win.

Veteran right hander Jason Nachreiner took the ball for the Tigers in his first start of the season. After recording the first two outs of the contest, Johnny Pistulka reached via a single. A walk to Colby Pack gave the Long Sox two runners. Pistulka and Pack executed a double steal with the throw to third going into leftfield. This allowed Pistulka to score and Pack to move up to third. Landon Erickson was then hit by a pitch. A wild pitch allowed Pack to score, putting Lamberton up 2-0.

Lamberton got a runner to third in the top of the third, but Nachreiner worked his way out of the jam without any damage. The Long Sox got two hits in the fourth, but again Nachreiner used his defense to get out of the inning.

Tyler Reiner, the Lamberton starter, kept Springfield at bay. As he allowed just one hit through the first five innings. Even in the sixth he was rolling, getting ground balls for the first two outs of the inning. Alex Fink then worked a walk and the Tigers got three straight hits from Marc Salazar, Christian Loomis, and Ryan Sturm to plate two runs and tie the game at two.

The three straight hits marked the end of the road for Reiner and the Long Sox went to the bullpen for Pistulka who got a strikeout to end the inning.

Nachreiner worked a three-up, three-down seventh to cap his solid seven inning performance. Manager Steve Helget then called on Alex Frank to take over on the hill with the game tied. Frank retired the Long Sox in order in the eighth.

Fink got things going in the bottom of the eighth when he reached on an infield single. Salazar moved him up with a sacrifice bunt. With Fink in scoring position, Loomis came through, taking Fink's spot at second when he ripped a double to left-center. With Springfield up by one, Lamberton intentionally walked Sturm to set up the force. Pistulka then got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.

Things got interesting in the top of the ninth. After recording the first out, Frank hit Isaac Jenninges. Donald Strand then hit a hard grounder to the right side, striking umpire Cory Haala. This was ruled a dead ball with Strand safe at first. With the potential game ending double-play ball from Strand not working out, one had to wonder if things just weren't meant to be for the Tigers. Frank answered that doubt, bearing down and using his defense to record the final two outs and the Tiger victory.

Christian Loomis continued his hot hitting, getting two hits and two runs-batted-in in the game. Alex Fink, Marc Salazar, Ryan Sturm, and Ryan Beyer all contributed one hit each to the Springfield cause. Donald Strand led the way for Lamberton with three of their seven hits. Johnny Pistulka added two hits to the Long Sox attack. Alex Frank picked up the win, working the final two frames, allowing one hit and striking out one. Pistulka was tagged with the loss, going two and one-third innings, surrendering one run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

The win ends a three game slide for Springfield and improves their record to 10-10 and 10-14 in league play and overall, respectively. The win clinches a third place finish in the National Division for the Tigers. This means they will host the fourth place team when playoffs begin in just over a week. Another challenge faces the Tigers when they travel to Hanska on Friday night to take on the Lakers in their second to last regular season contest. Come cheer on the Tigers as they look to continue to play well heading into the postseason!

NOTES: Tiger pitcher Jason Nachreiner nearly doubled his innings pitched on the season on Wednesday night. Coming into the game, he had logged 7 2/3 innings on the year. Then he threw a solid seven against the Long Sox...The Springfield starting lineup looked a little different without Ryan Sturm in the middle for the first time this season due to the Tiger Football Camp taking place just beyond the rightfield fence at Riverside Park...The Tigers have a knack for coming from behind. They have been outscored 30-11 in the first inning this season. Seven of their ten wins have been come from behind victories.

Linescore

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

Springfield Box

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO
Bisel, C	3	0	0	0	1	1
Vogel, 3B/RF	4	0	0	0	0	0
A. Fink, SS	3	2	1	0	1	0
M. Salazar, 1B	3	1	1	0	0	0	SAC
Loomis, 2B	3	0	2	2	0	0	2B, HP
Haseleu, PR	0	0	0	0	0	0
Brandl, DH	1	0	0	0	0	0
R. Sturm, DH/3B	2	0	1	1	1	0
Nachreiner, P	-	-	-	-	-	-
Mx. Salazar, LF	4	0	0	0	0	3
Beyer, CF	3	0	1	0	0	1
Menage, PH	1	0	0	0	0	1
Frank, RF/P	2	0	0	0	0	1	SAC
	29	3	6	3	3	7
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Nachreiner	7	6	2	1	4	4
Frank (W, 5-4)	2	1	0	0	0	1

Pictures