Packers’ late rally falls short
Published 9:35 pm Thursday, May 17, 2012
Austin's Marcus Stoulil dives back into first on a pick-off attempt as Winona first baseman Bryan Rohde tries to swing the tag during the second inning Thursday at Dick Seltz Field. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Austin baseball team had plenty of hits, but it couldn’t get one when it needed it one most in a 5-4 loss to Winona in its last home game of the regular season in Dick Seltz Field Thursday.
The Packers (6-11 overall, 5-10 Big Nine) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh, but they scored just once as Gabe Kasak blooped a single to make it a one-run game.
Austin catcher Gabe Kasak puts the tag on Winona's Lucas Bade who tried scoring from second base in the first inning Thursday at Dick Seltz Field. Bade was ruled safe on the play.
Zach Huntley, who was 1-for-5 with an RBI, grounded into a double play, where Winona threw home and back to first for the second out and Marcus Stoulil, who was 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI, struck out with runners on second and third to end the game.
“It’s a tough one for us. We need to win these games and we had opportunities,” Austin head coach Troy Watkins said. “I thought they made a great play on that double play. Give them credit for making that play.”
The Packers stranded 14 runners on base and Winona stranded 12 runners on base. The Winhawks (10-8 overall) had chances to break the game open in the fifth and seventh inning. Austin pitcher Jacob Thompson forced a groundout with the bases loaded in the fifth and Austin freshman Nik Gasner came up with a strikeout and he forced a groundout to leave the bases loaded in the seventh inning.
Austin pitcher Jacob Thompson delivers in the first inning Thursday against Winona at Dick Seltz Field.
“We got out of some innings which we were fortunate to get out of. We made some plays and the pitchers made some pitches,” Watkins said.
The Packers pulled to within two runs run when Stoulil blasted a double to the left field fence to score Kasak in the sixth.
Winona 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 — 5 10 1
Austin 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 — 4 11 1
Austin pitching: Jacob Thompson (L), 6 IP, 6 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 6 K, 2 HBP; Nik Gasner, 2 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, K
Austin hitting: Gabe Kasak, 3-for-4, double, RBI, 2 R, BB; Zach Huntley, 1-for-5, RBI; Marcus Stoulil, 2-for-5, double, RBI, R, SB; Jacob Thompson, 1-for-4, double, RBI; Gasner, 0-for-2, BB, HBP; Zach Wilder, 1-for-3, HBP; Anthony Condit, 1-for-4; Tommy Olmsted, 1-for-1, 3 BBs; Tyler Kelknap, 1-for-3, BB
