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Farr Pitches 1-Hit Gem, But Athletics Feel Blue |
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Farr Pitches 1-Hit Gem, But Athletics Feel Blue |
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ATHLETICS LEAD SAVAGE 3-0 INTO THE 8TH, LOSE IN 9TH Newcomers Fuel Lakeville, George 3-4 With Homer, Daniels Solid At 2nd 051511
The story of the night was tall righty Jeff Farr as he no-hit the Savage Outlaws through five innings, surrendering his only hit in the 6th inning. Farr left the game after six complete with 97 pitches on the night and a sterling performance turned in against an always tough Savage team that was #3 in the state in 2010. Farr walked the first batter of the game, then immediately picked him off 1st with a bullet to Josh Storm. From that point, it was on. Farr faced just three batters each in the first two innings, then worked through five hitters in both the 3rd and 4th, before settling back to just four Outlaws in the 5th and 6th. He struck out three in six innings of work and diligently kept Savage off balance as they could only hit two balls hard off him through five, both right at the corner outfielders. He gave up his first and only hit in the 6th off arguably one of the best hitters in the league, Tony Peterson. It was a great outing from Farr. The Athletics struck first blood in the 1st. Second baseman Nick Daniels was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Third baseman Eddie Golom walked, and so did shortstop Trent Larson as they moved Daniels to 3rd and loaded the bases. First baseman Josh Storm then pounded a sac-fly to center to score Daniels, giving Lakeville a 1-0 lead.
After a scoreless 2nd, the Athletics went back to work. Larson walked, followed by a single to left from Storm. Catcher Kevin George then collected the first of three hits on the night with a shot down the 1st base line to load the bags again for Lakeville. Centerfielder John Degerness walked to force in Larson for another run, keeping the bases loaded. One out later left fielder Eric Watts hit into a fielder's choice to force Storm at home. An ensuing third out left the bags full, but the Athletics held a 2-0 lead.
The 4th was scoreless, but Lakeville came back in the 5th to pick up another run. Newcomer Kevin George was the only offense going in the inning, a solo home run to right which just missed the scoreboard. George's homer and second hit of the night gave the Athletics a 3-0 lead at that point in the game.
Lakeville only had four hits through five innings, but made the most of what they had. Savage's starter went 7-complete, throwing 121 pitches in all. Trent Larson came on to pitch in the 7th, 8th and 9th, picking up four strikeouts while scattering five hits. He faced just four Outlaw hitters in the 7th, but from that point on it seemed as if Savage was playing with a tenth man as the home plate umpire suddenly decided to shrink his zone and squeeze Larson to the point of turning as purple as the Outlaw uniforms. A one out walk and subsequent double in the 8th made it a 3-1 ballgame, but the home-plate blue arguably took a batter away from Larson as he made him work extra hard by missing on a number of pitches that were clearly in the strike zone. Larson seemingly had the lead-off hitter in the 9th retired, but apparently not enough to blue's liking. After a lead-off full count walk, Larson retired the number nine hitter before once again getting squeezed for a full count walk to the number one hitter. Arguably, to the Lakeville bench, this should have been out number three, and a 3-1 Athletics win, but instead it was sacks juiced with only one out and a Peterson family nightmare in the making. Tyler Peterson deposited a single into center to drive in a run and pull Savage within one. Always dangerous clean-up hitter Tony Peterson then came to the plate and promptly drilled the first pitch he saw into the right-center gap to give Savage a 4-3 lead. Dylan Peterson dropped a hit into shallow left-center to drive in the 5th run of the inning. No one from Lakeville will dare try to take anything away from the solid hitting Peterson brothers, nor a classy Savage Outlaws team, but to many on the Lakeville bench, and in the stands, the game should have been over before ever reaching the Outlaw's version of murderer's row. Lakeville did have its chance in the bottom of the 9th. With two outs to lead off the inning, the Athletics rallied with a 4-0 walk to hot hitting Kevin George, followed by a 4-0 walk to John Degerness. Savage immediately switched pitchers, whereupon right fielder Derek Hahn was hit by pitch to load the bases. Eric Watts came to the plate and worked the count full, starting towards 1st on what he saw was ball four off the plate, only to be rung up by blue on a third strike and final out. From the dugout it looked like ball four and to fans in the stands it looked like ball four, nearly a foot off the plate. C'est la vie. All in all it was a great game by Lakeville against an always formidable Savage team. The Athletics tip their hat to a resilient and tough Outlaws team, and with possibly a cantankerous flip towards blue, but that's the game of baseball folks. You make the most of the opportunities you have and play the hand you're dealt. In this instance it was a come from behind 5-3 win for Savage, and a very tough heartbreaking loss for Lakeville. The bright side is that Lakeville has an up and coming team for 2011, with new blood adding a spark to Athletics baseball. Defensive plays of the game go to: Jeff Farr for picking off the lead-off run at first base in the 1st inning... the trio of Daniels, Larson and Storm for turning an inning ending double play in the heart of the Peterson line-up, Eric Watts for a nice catch near the wall in the 3rd, and Brent "Brooks" Johnson for an L5-3 double play in the 7th. The Athletics and Outlaws were tied with six hits a piece. Collecting hits for the Athletics were...
The next game for Lakeville is Saturday in a non-league match-up at home at Lakeville South versus the Westside Bombers at 5:00. The team will also play Sunday at home against CVL opponent Rosemount, also at 5:00.
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