Fischer fires A#039;s past Plainview
Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 15, 2002
Luke Fischer felt good about pitching in the first game of Saturday's Twin Rivers League doubleheader with Plainview, but an hour later he wasn't so sure.
A scheduling conflict delayed Plainview's arrival to Marcusen Park, but the delay did not bother Fischer. The Hayfield native scattered six hits over nine innings and struck out 10 in complete-game victory for the Hayfield/Austin Athletics Class C amateur baseball team.
Fischer struggled to place his fastball, forcing him to rely on his slider and an occasional changeup. He kept confidence in his off-speed pitches and struck out five of his 10 looking at third-strike sliders.
Instead of completing the originally scheduled doubleheader, the A's will make a trip to Plainview in July to complete their two-game requirement against the Bucks. Hayfield/Austin hosts Lake City today for a league doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Fischer made his call for a perfect game a bit premature, retiring the first eight hitters before the No. 9 batter bounced a ground-ball single up the middle. Plainview would get just five more hits off Fischer, who walked two and allowed one earned run while going the distance.
The A's (2-9, 2-5) got Fischer the lead with one run in the bottom of the first, and three more in the fourth inning sealed the victory. Justin Oakland led off the Hayfield/Austin at-bat in the first with a double to right-center field, and a single by Jamie Beck drove him in.
Beck and Oakland each had two hits on the day, while Austin High graduate Jamie Morrison led the way with a 3-for-4 plate performance. Morrison led off the fourth, fifth and seventh innings with singles and scored each time. He also moved into the team lead with three stolen bases.
The run-support was more than enough for Fischer, who gave up solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings. A lead-off walk issued to Bob Kempenich in the seventh led to Plainview's first run. Fischer struck out the next two batters before No. 8 hitter Joe Barrone tripled to deep right-center. Fischer settled down to strike out the next batter.
Back-to-back singles in the eighth led to Plainview's final run. Aggressive baserunning forced the A's into a defensive pickle, and Jesus Rueada accounted for the Bucks' final tally.
Hayfield/Austin led 1-0 before the fourth, when the team tapped out three hits and three runs fueled by an error and two hit batsmen. Morrison led off with a single and moved to second on Dahlen's misplayed grounder to the left side. Both runners advanced on a double-steal, and Morrison came plateward on a single up the middle by Jon Severson.
Both baserunners scored on Justin Oakland's grounder up the middle through a pulled-in infield. Beck and Lee Aadahl were both plunked, but Matt Juncker's shot down the left-field line was bobbled but fielded by the Plainview third baseman.
The Athletics accounted for the stranded baserunners with two more runs in the fifth. Morrison started with a shot up the middle, and Dahlen drove him in with the team's first triple of the season. Dahlen later scored on a wild pitch.
Morrison scored the A's final run in the seventh. He singled through the left side on the first pitch and stole second base with Dahlen at the plate. Dahlen lifted a sacrifice fly to deep right, and Morrison came across on a wild pitch to Eric Schmeling.
Plainview's Andy Skorr threw all eight innings for the Bucks, allowing 11 hits and five earned runs. He did not walk a batter, but did hit two, and struck out eight. Rueada led the Bucks with two hits.
Call Ross Thede at 434-2234 or e-mail him at :mailto:sports@austindailyherald.com.