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Pitching Runs Out In 8th, Big Inning Kills Athletics |
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Pitching Runs Out In 8th, Big Inning Kills Athletics |
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A
SCORING DONNYBROOK; 8TH INNING
SINKS
LAKEVILLE Athletics Score Most Runs of Season, Give Up Most Ever In Team History 061111
The Athletics continued on with their recent hitting barrage by going toe-to-toe on Saturday with Eagan in a slugfest that made the "Thrilla In Manilla" look like a ladies catfight. The Athletics banged out 14 hits and 7 runs in a see-saw battle that eventually got away due to a lack of pitching depth. With a short staff due to missing players, the Athletics were limited to just two pitchers on the afternoon and it was to be their Achille's heel for the day in a 20-8 ballgame that was much closer than the score suggests. The Athletics fought to the bitter end, throwing everything at the Bandits except the kitchen sink, but they did throw a Shower. The Eagan Bandits jumped on lefty starter Andy Yetzer early, scoring three runs in the first inning, but the Athletics bounced right back in the bottom half of the inning to immediately score two of their own in a scoring battle that saw 28 men cross the plate.
Shortstop Max Shower started the Athletics out by lining a single up the middle, followed by third baseman Eddie Golom who pounded the first of three hits on the day with a double down the 3rd base line. Golom pulled into 2nd base, with Shower rounding 3rd a bit too far. The Eagan left fielder tried to pick Shower off the bag, but threw the ball away, allowing him to score and moving Golom to 3rd. After two infield fly-outs, 2nd baseman Justin Hahn walked after a full count. First baseman Mark Berger then knocked a single down the right field line to drive in Golom, but a following groundout ended the inning with Lakeville down by one. Eagan came back for one run in the top of the 2nd to make the score 4-2, but the Athletics were held scoreless after singles from designated hitter Jeff Farr and Eddie Golom.
A lead-off home run from Eagan in the the top of the 3rd pushed the Bandits lead to 5-2, but Lakeville came storming back to tie the game up in the bottom of the inning. Catcher Derek Hahn led off with a walk. One out later, Mark Berger crushed a double to the left-center gap, moving Hahn to 3rd. Hahn then ended up scoring on the throw into the bag on an error by the 3rd baseman, with Berger taking his place at the corner. Centerfielder John Degerness than pounded a sac-fly to center to score Berger, pulling the Athletics within one. Jeff Farr picked up the second of three hits on the day by blasting a double over the centerfielder's head. Left fielder Eric Watts hit a single to left to score Farr, tying the game up at 5-all. A following infield fly-out ended the inning with Watts stranded at 1st.
The tie was off and on again as the Bandits kept on the attack by picking up the go ahead run in the top of the 4th, but Lakeville answered right back to regain the tie in the bottom of the inning. Eddie Golom led off the bottom of the 4th with his second double and third hit of the game, a scorched rocket to the left-center gap. Right fielder Kevin George moved Golom to 3rd with a fly-out to right. Derek Hahn scored Golom with a 4-3 groundout to knot the game once again. Justin Hahn was hit by pitch, but an inning ending fly-out left him stranded at first, with the score even at 6-6. John Degerness came on to pitch a 1-2-3 5th inning, marking the first time in the game that the Bandits were held scoreless. The Athletics led off the bottom of the 5th with two quick fly-outs. Eric Watts came to the plate and stroked his second hit to left. With Max Shower up, Watts attempted to steal 2nd, but Shower deposited the first pitch he saw into right-center. Essentially Lakeville ended up with an uncalled for hit and run. The quick break for 2nd gave Watts the extra jump he needed to score standing up on the hit. A subsequent strike out ended the inning with the home team leading for the first time, 7-6.
The Lakeville lead was short lived as Eagan quickly tied it up in the 6th and then went ahead with four runs in the inning, re-taking the lead by a 10-7 score. The Athletics were scoreless in the bottom of the inning, with neither team scoring in the 7th. It was at this point that Lakeville ran out of pitching due to missing players for the game. Shortstop Max Shower volunteered to pitch the 8th, enduring a 10-run inning, giving the Bandits a formidable lead.
The Athletics came to the plate in the bottom of the 8th needing four runs to stay alive. Kevin George reached on an error by the 2nd baseman. Derek Hahn hit a single to right. George moved to 2nd and then alertly took 3rd after the right fielder bobbled the ball. Justin Hahn hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but picked up an RBI in the process as George scored the 8th run for Lakeville. Pinch hitter Brent Johnson then slapped a single up the middle to keep the Lakeville hopes alive, but a following fly-out to center ended the game with a lopsided 20-8 score that was truly not indicative of the back and forth game that seemed to go on forever that evening.
Eagan out-hit Lakeville 17-14 on the day in a game that had 31 hits overall. Defensive plays of the game: A great throw from right fielder Kevin George in the 1st inning to nail an advancing runner at 3rd, but sadly the umpire blew the call. A heads up U4-3 double-play from 2nd baseman Justin Hahn, also in the 1st. Pitcher Andy Yetzer with a nice pickoff move to force a hotbox which erased a runner in the 3rd inning. A terrific catch deep behind the bag by 1st baseman Mark Berger, also in the 3rd. Great defense from 3rd baseman Eddie Golom and also shortstop Max Shower, a shoestring catch from left fielder Eric Watts, a hot liner to Jeff Farr, plus good blocking behind the plate from catcher Derek Hahn. Collecting hits for the Athletics were...
The Athletics next game is on the road, Sunday at 5:00 at Inver Grove. |
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