Bluejays Thump Tigers, Force Game Three
7/28/13
Springfield traveled to Essig on Sunday with a chance to secure a berth in the Region 2C Tournament with a win. The weather was absolutely perfect for a ballgame, but a Tiger win was not to be. Mark Giesen and the Bluejays would not let that happen at their ballpark. Giesen held the Tigers to just four hits and Essig's bats provided him with plenty of support on their way to an 8-1 win.
Tiger hurler Alex Frank gave up an infield single to Kyle Helget in the bottom of the second. Larry Haala opened the scoring when he ripped a double to make the score 1-0.
Just as they did in their game one victory, when Essig scored, the Tigers scored in their next at-bat. Marc Salazar smoked a lead-off base hit. Cooper Scheffler moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Then Jacob Vanderwerf picked up his first amateur RBI with a single to even things at one.
Frank's defense got him out of a jam in the bottom of the third, but there was nothing his defense could do in the Bluejays next at-bat. Kyle Helget launched a solo homer over the right field fence to put Essig up 2-1.
Salazar smashed a one-out double in the top of the fifth. It looked as though the Tigers would continue to match Essig on the scoreboard. Unfortunately, Salazar was thrown out at the plate attempting to score after an overthrow as he stole third. He would be the last runner Giesen would allow into scoring position.
Mitch Stueber doubled to start the bottom of the sixth. Dusty Fleck drove him in to bump the Essig lead to two at 3-1.
The Bluejays got help from the Tiger defense, who committed two errors, in the bottom of the seventh. They also got RBI singles from Ryan Weier and Fleck. Terry Helget ended Frank's afternoon on the hill when he cracked a two-run double off the left field fence.
Christian Loomis took over on the mound and worked the final inning and one-third. The Essig bullpen was busy during the sixth and seventh innings, but staked to the seven-run cushion, Giesen continued his solid work. He gave up just one hit in the top of the eighth after Salazar's double in the fifth, making the final 8-1.
Marc Salazar had half of Springfield's hits on the day with two. Cooper Scheffler and Jacob Vanderwerf added one hit each. Ryan Weier, Dusty Fleck, and Kyle Helget led the way for Essig with two hits each. All but one of Essig's starting nine had at least one hit. Mark Giesen earned the complete game win, giving up one earned run on four hits and striking out four. Alex Frank took the loss, going six and two-thirds innings, surrendering eight runs, four earned, on eleven hits with four strikeouts.
Essig's win moves the series back to Springfield for the deciding game three on Tuesday night at 8pm. It's win or call it a season time. If this sounds familiar, it's because this is the third straight season the Tigers have found themselves in this situation. Come down to Riverside Park on Tuesday night to cheer the home team on to a different ending! See you at the yard!
NOTES: Springfield is 2-5 on the season when committing four of more errors...The Tigers have been held to four or less hits eight times this season. They are 1-7 in those games...The opposing team has scored first in thirteen games this year. The Tigers have won just three of those games with a record of 3-10. When scoring first, Springfield has lost just twice...The Springfield Legion Baseball team ended their season on Saturday with a 10-9 loss against St. James at the picturesque Irish Yard near Milroy.
Scorecard
Linescore
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | LOB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Essig | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | x | 8 | 12 | 1 | 7 |
Springfield Box
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilhelmi, C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Menage, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Fink, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Sturm, 1B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Loomis, DH/P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Frank, P | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Vogel, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Ma. Salazar, LF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2B |
| Scheffler, 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | SAC |
| Vanderwerf, CF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Bisel, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 29 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ||
| Frank (L, 5-2) | 6 2/3 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | |
| Loomis | 1 1/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Pictures
