Hounds score a walk-off win

Published 10:16 pm Thursday, June 21, 2012

Zach Schara trots home to score a run for the Austin Greyhounds in Marcusen Park Thursday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

It had been 27 years since Greg Sammon had put on a baseball uniform, so it was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking when he had a chance to knock in the winning run for the Austin Greyhounds in the newly renovated Marcusen Park’s season opener Thursday.

No matter what was on his mind, Sammon came through and got just enough of a ground ball to score Andy Swank with one out in the bottom of the seventh to push the Hounds past the Kewaskum, Wis. A’s 5-4.

“The good thing about being older is that you really don’t know and you’re oblivious (to game situations),” Sammon said of his at-bat. “It told Matt (Cano) whatever I can do to help, I don’t care. Whether it’s painting the walls or anything else, I’m happy with it.”

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Swank, who 3-for-4 with a triple and three runs, had to hustle as much as he could and he slid into home plate just as the throw came in from third base.

“I thought I beat him, but it was as bang-bang as you get,” Swank said. “It was a close play and a tough one for him to call, but I thought he made the right call.”

The Hounds (8-8 overall) took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Nate Johnson doubled in a run and Logan Spitzack doubled in two more runs on a shot to the gap in left.

The A’s (16-5 overall) tied things up in the top of the seventh when Austin Saraurer blooped a two-run single down the left field line with two outs.

Swank said Marcusen is still coming along, but he thinks the field is off to a good start for the summer.

“It’s not quite absolutely ideal right now, but it looks good and it’ll come around fast,” he said. “We had a lot of last minute things to do and we still have a lot of last minute things to do.”

The Hounds will host the Forest Lake Brewers in their Spamtown Challenge opener Friday at 7:30 p.m. The tournament will feature live music and a pig roast on Saturday night at Marcusen.

Kewaskum 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 — 4 10 0

Hounds 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 — 5 10 1

Hounds pitching: Bryan Toov, 5 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 4 K; Alex Kasak, 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R; Weston Hansen (W), 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 HBP

Hounds hitting: Andy Swank, 3-for-4, triple, 3 R, SB; Tyler Leopold, 2-for-4; Nate Johnson, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs, R; Matt Raso, 0-for-2; Zach Schara, 0-for-1, R, HBP; Logan Spitzack, 1-for-3, double, 2 RBIs; Joe Kroc, 0-for-1, 2 BBs; Gabe Kasak, 1-for-3; John Frein, 0-for-2; Matt Cano, 1-for-1, BB; Greg Sammon, 1-for-2, RBI; Jay Ettinger, 0-for-1