Brewers down Hounds 8-7
Published 11:40 pm Friday, June 22, 2012
The Austin Greyhounds made up a six-run deficit and then watched a one-run lead slip away as they lost to Forest Lake 8-7 in the Spamtown Challenge opener for both teams Friday in Marcusen Park.
The Brewers (7-4 overall) won the game in the bottom of the eighth when two consecutive runners reached base on errors with one out and Mike Schultz blasted a walk-off two-run double to deep center field.
“This was a tough loss,” Austin manager John Frein said. “It was a fun game and we came back. I thought we had it, but they deserved it. It’s kind of a bummer.”
Frein gave the Hounds (8-9 overall) their first lead of the night when he perfectly executed a safety squeeze by laying down a bunt to score a run in the top of the eighth. The Hounds ended up with the bases loaded with no outs after going up 8-7 but Tyler Leopold lined out and Nate Johnson and Matt Cano struck out to end the threat.
Cano tied the game up at 6-6 with a two-run double down the right field line with one out in the top of the seventh.
Austin had trailed 6-0, but it was able to force extra innings.
“We played okay and we showed promise and patience at the plate,” Frein said.
The Hounds will play Appleton at 4 p.m. and Cold Spring at 6 p.m. Saturday. To advance to Sunday’s final round, the Hounds will have to win both of those games and win a tie-breaker, which comes down to run differential.
Hounds 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 1 — 7 12 4
Forest Lake 1 3 0 2 0 0 0 2 — 8 12 0
Hounds pitching: Zach Schara, 3 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 4 ER, 1 K, HP; Aaron Klatt (L), 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 K, 1 HBP
Hounds hitting: Andy Swank, 0-for-2, RBI, R, 2 BBs; Tyler Leopold, 1-for-5, RBI, R; Matt Cano, 2-for-5, double, 2 RBIs; Matt Raso, 1-for-4; Nels Nelson, 2-for-4, R; Logan Spitzack, 3-for-4, double, RBI, 2 R; Joe Kroc, 1-for-2, R, 2 BBs; John Frein, 2-for-3, 2 RBIs, R, BB