Hounds take down Blue Sox

Published 6:01 pm Sunday, July 8, 2012

Alan May slides into third base for the Austin Greyhounds as Blue Sox third baseman Preston Higbe looks on in Marcusen Park Sunday. The Hounds beat the Blue Sox 11-7. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Southland grad Alan May has spent the majority of his summer preparing for his upcoming football season at Division II Winona State.

But on Sunday, May was back on the baseball diamond as he helped the Austin Greyhounds beat the Austin Blue Sox 11-7 in an amateur baseball game in Marcusen Park.

Matt Cano makes solid contact on a grand slam during the Austin Greyhounds' 11-7 win over the Austin Blue Sox in Marcusen Park Sunday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Although it was just the second time he’s played baseball this summer, May went three-for-three with a triple and an RBI from the No. 8 spot in the Hounds’ lineup.

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“I’ve played baseball my whole life and I’ll always love it. But right now I’m so busy with football that I don’t get on the field too much,” May, who played shortstop in the field, said. “I just wanted to get some cuts and jump on some pitches early.”

While May helped get the Hounds (12-11 overall) started, Matt Cano put them in control when he blasted a two-out grand slam on a 3-1 pitch over the right field fence to give his team a 9-4 lead in the fourth inning.

Blue Sox pitcher Cody Meyer had allowed two walks and a hit batter before facing Cano.

“I was definitley looking for a nice pitch,” Cano said. “He threw a nice 3-0 strike and then he threw it again at 3-1 and fortunately I got enough of it to get it over the fence.”

The Hounds jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but the Blue Sox tied the game in the top of the third when Kyal Williams singled in a run, Mark Harber hit a sacrifice fly and John Kirby tripled in a run.

The Blue Sox (6-12 overall) left a runner on third in the third and they left the bases loaded in the top of the fourth when Joe Huffman struck out Brian Voigt and Wiliams to escape trouble.

“We had chances in the early innings to get to Joe and you have to execute those,” Blue Sox manager Josh Kunze said. “Joe’s too good, he’s not going to give up too many chances.”

Mark Harber rounds third base for the Austin Blue Sox at Marucsen Park Sunday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

May will report to Winona State Aug. 10 and he’s looking forward to getting back on the football field after red-shirting last season. May has put on 10 pounds of muscle this summer and he is hoping to see time at wide receiver, while also returing punts and kicks for the Warriors, who went 7-4 overall last season.

“I’m really excited and I’ve been training really hard this summer,” May said. “We’ll see how it goes.”

Blue Sox 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 2 — 7 14 1

Hounds 2 2 0 5 0 0 1 1 X — 11 12 3

Hounds pitching: Joe Huffman (W), 8 IP, 12 H, 2 BB, 5 ER, 8 K; Steve Hovland, 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER

Hounds hitting: Andy Swank, 2-for-4, triple, 2 RBIs, 2 R; Nate Johnson, 2-for-3, HR, RBI, 3 R, BB; Steve Serratore, 0-for-3, RBI, BB, HBP, R; Matt Cano, 2-for-5, HR, 5 RBIs, 2 R; Matt Raso, 1-for-3, BB; Logan Spitzack, 0-for-4; Aaron Klatt, 0-for-4; Alan May, 3-for-3, triple, RBI, SB, 2 R, BB; John Frein, 0-for-1, R, BB; Jay Ettinger, 0-for-1

Blue Sox pitching: Cody Meyer (L), 3 2/3 IP, 4 H, 7 BB, 9 R, 8 ER, 1 HBP, 5 K; John Kirby, 4 1/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 3 K

Blue Sox hitting: Donte Bledsoe, 4-for-4, double, SB, BB, R; Jamie Adams, 1-for-4; Brian Voigt, 0-for-4, R, BB; Kyal Williams, 3-for-5, double, RBI, 2 R; Mark Harber, 1-for-4, double, RBI, R; Brady Klingfus, 1-for-3, RBI; Rene Araujo, 0-for-5; Preston Higbe, 1-for-4; Josh Kunze, 0-for-1; Clay Eustice, 0-for-1, RBI; Carter Guthmiller, R; Mike Tindal, R