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Walk-Off Two-Out Single Nips Athletics 3-2 |
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Walk-Off Two-Out Single Nips Athletics 3-2 |
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LAKEVILLE
LEADS THRU 7, LOSES 3-2 IN BOTTOM OF
9TH Athletics Play Well; Hauck Is Nails, But Larson Gets Squeezed In 9th 080211
It was do or die for both Lakeville and Eagan in game two of the CVL playoffs on Tuesday night, with both teams needing a must win to stay alive in the double-elimination tournament. It was a pitcher's duel right from the start with both aces throwing well. Two-time all-star ace Jake Hauck drew the start for the Athletics and out-pitched his Bandits counterpart, allowing just two hits and one run through six full innings of work. It was vintage Hauck as he pitched smart, with all the savvy of the sage veteran that he has been for Lakeville for the last six years. Hauck struck out 7 through six with just three walks and one hit by pitch. He threw 91 pitches in his stint on the mound, and was nothing short of masterful in his performance.
The Athletics started the top of the 1st with 2nd baseman Eddie Golom getting hit by a pitch. Shortstop Trent Larson then hit a 3-2 pitch down the 1st baseline to give Lakeville runners at the corners, but a following 6-4-3 double-play, along with a 6-3 groundout, ended the threat. The Bandits were able to pick up one run on a walk, a stolen base and a hit in the bottom half of the 1st to take a 1-0 lead.
Both teams were scoreless in the 2nd and 3rd innings. With one out in the top of the 4th, first baseman Josh Storm beat out a roller to 1st. Designated hitter Kevin George worked the count full before receiving a walk. Ben Elliott came in to pinch run for Storm. Right fielder Jeff Farr hit a single to right to load the bags for Lakeville, but a following tapper back to the mound provided Eagan with a 1-2-3 double-play to end the inning.
The Bandits went down in order in the bottom of the 4th, still clinging to a 1-0 lead. Lakeville came out in the 5th with a 6-3 groundout and a fly-out. With two out already, left fielder Eric Watts came to the plate and stroked a hard hit 0-1 pitch up the middle. Eddie Golom followed suit by pounding a hit of his own up the middle, moving Watts to 2nd. Trent Larson smoked an RBI single into right for Lakeville's third consecutive hit. Watts didn't stop as he raced around 3rd and scored the tying run for the Athletics. Josh Storm stepped into the batter's box and received two wild pitches, moving Golom and Larson up each time, with Golom scoring the go-ahead run before Storm groundout out. Lakeville led at that point by a 2-1 score.
The Athletics went down in order in the 6th, but Eagan threw up a challenge in the bottom half of the inning. The Eagan number three hitter hit a foul in front of the Athletics dugout that Josh Storm made a great catch on for out number one. The Bandits number four hitter stroked a single up the middle, and was followed by a walk to the five hitter. A wild pitch to the Bandits six hitter moved both Eagan runners into scoring position. He then hit a hard hit ball to left that Eric Watts tracked down for out number two, but the Bandit runner at 3rd thought he would try to tag and score on the play. Watts threw a perfect strike on the fly to catcher Derek Hahn who ran the runner back to 3rd, diving at the last minute for the tag and the inning ending out. It was Watts' third defensive assist in the playoffs and a great tag from Hahn. Trent Larson took over on the mound for the Athletics in the 7th, setting the Bandits down in order. Lakeville went back on the attack in the 8th. Josh Storm was hit by a pitch to take 1st. Kevin George then roped a 2-2 pitch into right field, moving Storm to 2nd. Right fielder Jeff Farr then crushed a 1-2 pitch to the center field fence, just missing a three-run homer than would have been a decisive blow in the game. A pop-up and strikeout ended the inning with both Storm and George stranded.
The bottom of the 8th was a tough inning as Eagan picked up two hits and a run to tie the game at 2-2. The Athletics came out in the top of the 9th with substitute 2nd baseman Justin Hahn leading off the inning by drawing a full-count walk. Eric Watts stepped to the plate and immediately dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt on the first pitch he saw to move Hahn to 2nd. Two following strike outs ended the Lakeville threat with the score still knotted a two apiece. Eagan led off the bottom of the 9th with a ground rule double that just dropped on the left field line in front of the foul pole and then skipped through the fence poles. The next batter walked, giving the Bandits runners at 1st and 2nd. Eagan then laid down its own sac bunt, moving both runners into scoring position. Larson struck the next batter out for the second out. Larson threw a first pitch strike to the next batter, getting ahead quickly. It looked as if his second and third pitches were in there for strikes as well, but the home plate blue saw it differently. The fourth pitch was the killer as the Eagan hitter laced it down the right field line for the walk-off win and a disappointing loss for the Athletics. The loss dropped Lakeville out of the double-elimination playoffs and ended their 2011 season. The Athletics out-hit the Bandits 8-5 for the evening. Collecting hits for Lakeville were...
Defensive highlights for the game included...an outstanding catch from centerfielder Mark Berger in the 1st... an F7-2 double-play assist from left fielder Eric Watts in the 6th... a very nice charge on a slow roller to 2nd baseman Justin Hahn who made a great throw to get the runner in the 7th. While the Athletics did not achieve their expectations for 2011, they did pick up some key players who have bolstered the team and given them much hope for 2012. |
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