Wingers take down Packer baseball team
Published 8:20 pm Thursday, May 11, 2017
- Austin’s Jack Dankert scores on a pass ball against Red Wing Thursday afternoon at Dick Seltz Field. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Austin baseball team couldn’t dig out of an early hole as it lost 8-5 to Red Wing in Dick Seltz Field Thursday.
The Wingers (7-6 overall, 5-2 Big Nine) jumped out to a 6-0 lead as they held Austin hitless in the first three innings. Michael O’Connor took the loss for Austin, (6-7 overall, 3-4 Big Nine), but Austin head coach Joe Kroc liked what he saw from the sophomore hurler.
Austin pitcher Evan Horstmann pitches against Red Wing Thursday afternoon at Dick Seltz Field. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“I thought Michael O’Connor threw really well and that might have been his best outing as far as spotting and mixing up speeds,” Kroc said. “He kind of caught some bad luck. We didn’t make some plays behind him and they got some big two out hits. That’s sort of been the tale of our season right now.”
Austin trailed 8-1 going into the bottom of the fifth when it was able to put together a rally. Josi Bothun had an RBI single, Hunter Guyette doubled in a run and Phillip Zynda knocked in a run. Austin also had runners at the corners in the bottom of the seventh with one out, but the game ended when Riley Retterath grounded into a double play.
Kroc said the Packers came up with much better at bats in the last three innings of the game as they continued to battle at the plate.
“We’ve been more consistent and we’ve had really good approaches,” Kroc said. “I hope that’s going to get us going in the right direction and I’m proud of the guys for fighting back. We’re young and the guys just need to believe in themselves and keep battling. There’s signs that we’re making strides offensively.”
RW 2 2 0 2 2 0 0 — 8 10 1
Austin 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 — 5 7 4
Austin pitching: Michael O’Connor (L) 7 H, 1 BB, 6 R, 4 ER, 4 K; Evan Horstmann, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 ER; Josi Bouthn 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 2 K; Luke Hawkshead, 1/3 IP, 0 R
Austin hitting: Tanner Steene, 0-for-2; Bothun, 1-for-2, RBI; Hunter Guyette, 1-for-4, double, RBI; Phillip Zynda, 1-for-3; Pete Conner, 2-for-4, R; Riley Retterath, 1-for-3, double, RBI, BB; Ross Young, 0-for-2; Jack Dankert, 1-for-3, R; Forrest Lewis, 0-for-2, R; Holden Londino Green 1-for-1; Riley Wempner, 1-for-2, R, BB