Hounds win Section 4B title

Published 11:04 pm Friday, August 10, 2012

Hounds pitcher Nels Nelson goes through his rotation at Marcusen Park Friday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

The Austin Greyhounds may be a little older than the Austin Blue Sox, but that may have helped their cause as they won 6-2 in the Section 4B title game in Marcusen Park Friday.

Hounds pitcher Nels Nelson went the distance as he struck out seven and allowed just six hits.

Austin Greyhounds' second baseman Joe Kroc waits for a throw as Chris May slides towards second base in Marcusen Park Friday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

“They turned their team around a lot, they’re a good team and they can play,” Nelson said of the Blue Sox. “We feel like the pressure’s on us because we’re an older team and we’ve been there. It was a great effort and we took care of business.”

Email newsletter signup

The Hounds (18-19 overall) will now play in the supersection tournament next week and the Blue Sox (14-16 overall) will play an elimination game Saturday at Marcusen Park at 2 p.m. against either the Rochester Royals or the Savage Outlaws.

The Blue Sox had won their last three games and the Hounds had lost two of their last three, but the Blue Sox were shaky in the field as they committed six errors.

“We were a little flat,” Blue Sox manager Jamey Pratt said. “We just have to regroup and get back at it tomorrow.”

The Blue Sox had a chance to get to Nelson in the first inning as they loaded the bases with two outs, but Brian Voigt grounded out to end the threat.

“I struggled finding the zone in that first inning, but I got out of it without getting hurt and then we started hitting the crap out of the ball,” Nelson said.

Tyler Leopold and Zach Schara knocked in runs in the second inning for the Hounds as they took a 2-0 lead and that lead was up to 5-0 after the third inning.

The Blue Sox didn’t get on the board until the top of the seventh when Kyal Williams blasted a solo homer over the right field fence that made it 5-1.

Williams was playing in his last game this summer for the Blue Sox as he has to head back to the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. for the upcoming school year.

“It was nice for him to (hit that homer)” Pratt said. “He’s a great kid and a great leader for this team. I hope he comes back next year.”

Blue Sox 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 — 2 6 6

Hounds 0 2 2 1 0 1 0 0X — 6 7 1

Hounds pitching: Nels Nelson (W), 9 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 2 ER, 7 K

Hounds hitting: Andy Swank, 0-for-4, BB; Nate Johnson, 0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BBs; Matt Cano, 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BBs, R; Matt Raso, 2-for-4, R; Steve Serratore, 1-for-3, double, R, BB; Tyler Leopold, 0-for-2, RBI, BB; Zach Schara, 1-for-4, RBI; Joe Kroc, 2-for-4, R; John Frein, 1-for-4

Blue Sox pitching: John Kirby (L), 3 IP, 7 H, 3 BB, 5 , 4 ER, 2 K; Jon Mittag, 5 IP, 4 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 K

Blue Sox hitting: Chris May, 1-for-5, RBI; Brandon Rector, 0-for-4; John Kirby, 1-for-4; Kyal Williams, 1-for-3, HR, RBI, R, BB; Mark Harber, 1-for-2, BB; Brian Voigt, 0-for-4; Brady Klingfus, 0-for-3; Preston Higbe, 1-for-3, BB; Jamie Adams, 1-for-4, double, R; Josh Kunze, BB; Jamey Pratt, 0-for-1; Cody Meyer, 0-for-1; Quinn Yocom, 0-for-1