Austin VFW baseball team rattles off sixth straight win
Published 9:04 pm Monday, July 8, 2013
Austin’s Trevor Stevens slides into third base to beat a throw against Winona in Marcusen Park Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Austin Post 1216 Legion baseball team used a little clutch hitting and lot of patience to tally its sixth straight win in Marcusen Park Monday.
Austin second baseman Nate Conner extends to attempt a tag on Winona runner during Austin Post 1216’s 6-4 win in Marcusen Park Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Trevor Stevens delivered a two-out, game-tying RBI single in the sixth and Austin went on to win 6-4 over Winona.
Stevens also gave Austin a boost on the mound as he came in relief and got a key out to end the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded. In the bottom of the sixth, Stevens came to the plate with two runners on when he lined a single into right field.
“I knew what I had to do and we did it,” Stevens, who went 2-for-4 said. “It wasn’t that fast of a pitcher, we just had to be patient and hit the balls that we know we can hit.”
Austin took the lead for good when Dylan Gasner drew a walk to load the bases and Nate Conner and Jordan Hart drew back-to-back RBI walks to make it 6-4.
Conner wanted a chance to hit, but he ended up getting to first base on four straight balls.
Austin first baseman Alex Ciola places a tag on a Winona runner in Marucsen Park Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
“I was looking for a pitch right where I wanted it and none of them were there,” he said.
After falling behind 2-0, Austin (16-5 overall, 8-4 District) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first inning. However it couldn’t plate any runs as three straight batters went down in order.
“It wasn’t our best game, but we were very patient and we battled back,” Austin head coach Joe Ciola said. “We’re trying to spiral this team upwards and hopefully a good comeback win like this will help.”
Austin has just a handful of games left before the postseason and the team is starting to hit its stride.
“I think we’re just going to get better,” Conner said.
Winona 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 — 4 4 4
Austin 0 0 1 1 0 4 X — 6 5 0
Austin’s Jake Reinartz goes through his pitching motion at Marcusen Park Monday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin pitching: Jason Stoulil, 2 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 2 ER; Jake Reinartz, 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 7 BB, 2 ER, 4 K; Trevor Stevens (W), 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 K
Austin hitting: Stevens, 2-for-4, RBI, R; Dylan Gasner, 1-for-2, 2 BBs; Nate Conner, 1-for-2, RBI, SB, 2 BBs; Jordan Hart, 0-for-3, RBI, BB; Isaac Schumacher, 0-for-3, R, SB, BB; Daniel Bollingberg, 1-for-3, R; Alex Ciola, 0-for-3, R; Brandon Bickel, 0-for-1; Stoulil, 0-for-2, R, BB; Reinartz, 0-for-1, R, SB, BB
