Veterans step ups as Greyhounds top Owatonna Aces

Published 10:36 pm Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Craig Braaten watches his solo home run against the Owatonna Aces in Marcusen Park Wednesday. The Greyhounds won 7-2. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Craig Braaten watches his solo home run against the Owatonna Aces in Marcusen Park Wednesday. The Greyhounds won 7-2. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

A couple of amateur baseball veterans showed they can still go deep as the Austin Greyhounds beat the Owatonna Aces (12-2 overall) 7-2 in Marcusen Park Wednesday.

Craig Braaten, who sat out last season and is back with the Hounds this summer, and Dave Adams, who played with the Rochester Royals for 19 years before coming to Austin this year, each hit home runs in the win.

Greyhounds pitcher Nels Nelson winds up against the Owatonna Aces in Marcusen Park Wednesday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Greyhounds pitcher Nels Nelson winds up against the Owatonna Aces in Marcusen Park Wednesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Adams is a coach at RCTC and he was ineligible to play with the Royals this summer because some of his RCTC players were on the Royals.

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He had to ask for permission from the Minnesota Baseball Association board to play for the Hounds since he can’t play for his hometown team.

“Marcusen Park has always been one of my favorite places to play and it’s a good group of guys,” said Adams, who drilled a two-run line shot over the right field fence to make it 5-2 n the fifth. “When I knew I couldn’t play with the Royals, I knew this was where I wanted to play.”

Braaten blasted a solo homer over the left field fence to make it 2-1 in the fourth after 11 Hounds had been retired in order.

“Once you keep getting reps, things start coming back,” Braaten said. “It’s fun to be out here. I took last year off and I missed the guys. I got a phone call over the winter and they asked if I wanted to come back and I said I’d do it for one more year.”

Joe Huffman picked up the win for Austin (4-2 overall) as he struck out four. Nels Nelson struck out six in four innings and Zach Schara struck out three in the top of the ninth.

Owatonna 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 2 10 0

Hounds 0 0 0 3 2 2 0 0 X — 7 11 2

Hounds pitching: Nels Nelson, 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 6 K; Joe Huffman (W), 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K; Alex Kasak, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R; Zach Schara, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K

Hounds hitting: Andy Swank, 1-for-4, BB; John Frein, 0-for-4, R, BB; Craig Braaten, 1-for-4, HR, RBI, R; Matt Raso, 2-for-3, 2 R, HBP; Jordan Hart, 2-fro-4, R; Nate Johnson, 2-for-4, triple, 2 RBIs, SB, R; Tyler Leopold, 0-for-2, RBI, HBP; Joe Kroc, 2-for-4, RBI