Legion thwarts Owatonna comeback

Published 12:00 am Monday, July 28, 2003

OWATONNA -- Owatonna was unable to make the same kind of comeback that the Austin Legion baseball team had enjoyed in three straight head-to-head victories. The visiting Post 91 squad stormed back from a 4-2 deficit to defeat their hosts, 6-4, Friday night at Dartts Park in the regular-season finale for both teams.

The win guarantees Austin the No. 2 seed and a home game in the first round of First District playoff action, which begins next Tuesday. Post 91 completed the season-sweep of Owatonna, 3-0, with its third come-from-behind victory. Austin will host its first-round game Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Marcusen Park.

"We kind of tossed it around there for an inning, so it was disappointing, but on the other side the kids came back and played really good ball," said Austin coach Bob Stratton. "We shut them down the last five innings.

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"It's a nice win to have to finish second in the district. They really came on the last half of the year. I think the kids started thinking they could win."

Austin gave starting pitcher Andy Swank a 2-0 lead after the first half inning, but Owatonna retaliated with a solo run in the first and three unearned runs in the second. Three Austin errors -- all in the second inning -- led to Owatonna's 4-2 lead.

"We got a couple of runs on them early and they stormed back," said Owatonna coach Dan Leer. "It's a credit to them. It would have been nice to get one on our home field."

Post 91 returned the favor in the fourth with two more runs off Owatonna's Nate Skala. Joe Kroc led off with a single and Kyle Rizzi walked, but Nels Nelson grounded into a double play. John Bastyr, who drove in both first-inning runs for Austin, added his third RBI of the night with another single.

Bastyr took second on the throw home and scored on Swank's second single of the game. Bastyr was cut down trying to score on Swank's hit in the first inning, and he would later be thrown out at the plate again on Swank's one-run single in the fifth.

Nelson led off Austin's half of the fifth with a single, and Bastyr followed with his third hit.

Adam Edge then executed the sacrifice bunt, but Swank's third hit would only be enough to get one run home. Swank advanced to second on Bastyr's play at the plate, and Alex Kaiser ripped an RBI-single for a 6-4 Austin lead.

Owatonna (11-12, 6-8) tried to take its turn at a comeback in the bottom of the fifth. Swank gave way to Nelson after a two-out walk loaded the bases, and he struck out No. 9 hitter Mike Schottler with a full-count curveball after throwing him five straight fastballs.

Nelson pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for the save, preserving Swank's fourth win of the year. Austin ends the regular season at 17-13 overall and 9-5 in the First District.

"That was very nice of Nels to come in for me," Swank said. "I trusted Nels to get it done."

"I was just trying to throw strikes," Nelson added. "Then when I didn't I got a little nervous."

Schottler had two hits in the game, but neither were when his team needed them the most. Nelson fell behind in the count and had to fight his way back to 3-2, when he dropped a curveball in for a called third strike.

"It's hard to beat a team three times," Nelson said. "We showed ourselves we could do it. Hopefully this gives us a little springboard into the playoffs."

Box Score:

AustinOwatonna

abrhbiabrhbi

Kroc ss3220Skala p4000

Rizzi cf2110Wilson 2b4141

Nelson 2b3110Seykora 3b4011

Bastyr 1b4133Herzog ss3010

Edge c3000Simon rf4010

Swank p3132Marka c4100

Korfhage ph1000Barlow 1b4120

Kaiser 3b3011VonRuden cf2100

Ehret lf3000Schottler lf4020

Leathers rf2000

VnPrsdy rf1000

Totals286116Totals344112

Austin2020200--6113

Owatonna1300000--4111

Team LOB--Austin 6, Owatonna 12. DP--Owatonna 2, Austin 1. 2B--Wilson, Seykora. S--Nelson, Edge. SF--Skala. SB--Wilson, VonRuden. CS--Herzog.

IPHRERBBSO

Austin

Swank W,4-14 2/394111

Nelson S,22 1/320011

Owatonna

Skala L7116631

PB--Edge 2, Marka 1. HBP--VonRuden (by Nelson).