The only Austin baseball team with a chance at a state title this year has finally found a little of what its been looking for, R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Sunday, August 22, 1999

The only Austin baseball team with a chance at a state title this year has finally found a little of what its been looking for, R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Five Austin businesses – the B&J Bar, Trimble’s Cycle Center, Larson Allen Weishair & Co. (LAWCO), Sherwin-Williams and South Central Athlete – donated enough money to pay for the hotel rooms the Austin Greyhounds stayed in last night in tiny Morton, Minn.

This morning, the Hounds play Apple Valley at 11 in Granite Falls in the opening round of the Class B Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Association Tournament.

"They’re pretty excited," Hounds skipper Bryant Olsen said of his players. "It’s a big deal to go to state and to play in front of a lot of big crowds."

The 16-team tournament runs through Sept. 6. Depending on whether or not the team wins or loses, Austin plays again on Thursday or Friday in the double-elimination tournament.

The local sponsorships were important, because of the tournament’s high travel costs. Granite Falls and the other host city, Marshall, are clear on the west side of the state.

"It’s nice that the businesses came forward to help us out," Olsen said. "We had to pay our own way the last time we went to state (in 1997)."

The Hounds went 1-2 in 1997, exiting the tournament well shy of a title. This time around, Austin is pinning its hopes on a pair of left-handed starting pitchers who didn’t even play with the team during the regular season.

Mankato’s Tony Kamps will start today’s game and Waseca’s Ryan Krautkremer will start the team’s second game.

The duo was drafted by the Hounds after Austin earned its state berth by beating Waseca on Aug. 10. Rules allow a state-bound team to supplement its roster with any combination of three extra pitchers or catchers drafted from eliminated teams from within the same section.

Austin and the Rochester Royals are the tournament’s Section 2 representatives. The Royals open against Coon Rapids at 1:30 p.m. today.

Austin’s regular-season ace Brian Toov will pitch out of the bullpen for the Hounds.

"We’ve talked," Olsen said, "and if he wants to start, he’ll start."

But, since Kamps and Krautkremer – both fine hitters as well – cannot be used at any other position than the mound, the team will benefit most by having Toov in the field.

He’ll start in right field today, then shift to first base. The team’s regular first baseman Mike Schulke can only play in today’s game. He leaves for a semester of college in Europe prior to the second round.

"He’s torn," Olsen said. "He’s helped us out a lot. But if you have to miss the state tournament, it might as well be to go to Europe."

Schulke blasted a key home run in the team’s state-clinching win.

After today, any heroics will have to come from elsewhere.

"We’re ready for anything," Olsen said.