STILL KICKIN'
Tigers Face Two Must-Wins to Reach State

--By Brett Kruschke

After suffering a disappointing 4-3, 10-inning loss on Wednesday at Minnesota Lake to open Region 4C play, the Tigers have momentum after eliminating Le Sueur 2-1 on Sunday and now need two wins to clinch a berth in the State Tournament. The quest continued last night at Arlington against Winthrop (no lights at home field); if the Tigers won, they will play Thursday night at 7:30pm, either at home vs. Blue Earth, or at Minnesota Lake once again. If the Tigers don't win each of their next two games, you can stick a fork in, we're done.

Should the Tigertown Express win Thursday, they will suit up their champagne-soaked clothes on Friday, and possibly Sunday, if necessary. If you would like to kill me right now due to these 12,000 scenarios, please refer to the Region 4C bracket while counting slowly to ten.

The Big Grrr will face these challenges shorthanded-slugger Pat Moriarty (.310) is finished for the season as his senior year of foosball begins at Minnesota State, Mankato, while defensive whiz Adam Hoffman is beginning grad school in Madison, Wisconsin, and his availability is sketchy. Plus, Mike Schultz is questionable as he learns to play with a seventh-grader's beard. So the putt-putt Tigers and their .254 team average will plug along, here a scrap, there a pluck, everywhere a pesk-pesk. Like Roger Dorn said in Major League, "There's only one thing left to do… win the whole frickin' thing!"

BP 3 @ Minnesota Lake 4 (Wednesday, July 30th * Region 4C opener)
Waking up the next morning after this bitter defeat, several ideas for an opening line came to mind: "Fly the flags at half-mast, for it is a sad day in Tigertown," "It felt like somebody shot your dog-it shouldn't have happened, but there's nothing you can do about it," and "Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted-one moment-would you capture it or let it slip?" In summary, it was an empty feeling. The Tigers played about as poorly as possible, still had a great chance to win, but in the end watched it slip away.

Dan Huber toed the rubber and after a 1-2-3 first, got treated like a town team freshman in innings two through four when he gave up eight hits-including three doubles-that resulted in three Royals runs. From then on, Danny boy was dealin'. He gave up a one-out single in the fifth and not another hit until a leadoff single in the tenth (although he did issue three walks and hit a batter over that span).

Belle Plaine got on the board thanks to a sac fly in the third by the aformentioned Huber. It stayed 3-1 until the seventh, when after Tim Huber led off with a walk and Pat Schultz singled, the duo pulled off a double steal in an apparent bunt situation. Jeff Witt singled to plate one, making it 3-2 with no outs and chasing starter Jeff Cole for draftee Vinny Vonengelberg. But buzzkill, your name is baserunning, as after Jeff Miller grounded one to third, a frozen Schultz was tagged out and Miller doubled up.

The misadventures were well underway as we headed to the eighth. With Pat Moriarty on third and Dan Huber at first and nobody out, a ground ball double play by Anderson ended with Moriarty still at third. Perhaps he enjoyed the bearded companionship of his third base coach-that would be understandable. Fortunately however, Trace Selly hit a nubber to third that allowed the tying run to score, making it 3-3.

The Tigers also let a ball drop between three fielders earlier in the game, and played a few others poorly that allowed rallies to continue. It was painful to watch, for players and certainly fans alike. Even the 980 zillion mosquitos seemed ticked off.

The Tigers put a pair on in the ninth and then got a one-out double in the tenth, but couldn't seize the moment. In the bottom of the tenth, Dan Huber had a runner at second and two outs as he valiantly battled to the end of his rope. It was going to be his last batter, with the order about to turn over for the sixth time. Yet his 151st pitch would be his last, as the game ended in fitting fashion: shortstop Daron Anderson bounced one to first and past Jeff Witt, allowing the winning run to score. The Tigers felt like they deserved to lose, and that's what really stung.

Le Sueur 1 @ BP 2 (Sunday, August 3rd * Region 4C loser's bracket)
For the fifth and final time of 2003, these archrivals would butt heads-twice in the regular season, twice in the CCL Red playoffs, and now in the biggest game of them all. Mike Fritz and Shane Hofmann both made their third starts of the series, leaving familiarity to breed what it may.

Speaking of playing shorthanded, a few Braves regulars were not in attendance. In what turned out to be a one-run ballgame, who knows the difference it would have made.

Belle Plaine got busy in the third, as Daron Anderson followed a one-out single from Dan Huber with a textbook hit-and-run into left field. Trace Selly singled as Huber scampered home with the game's first run. Tim Huber then bounced into a force play, as Anderson raced home to try to catch Le Sueur's first baseman napping. He wasn't, but the D-man snuck his foot in first and was safe, 2-0 Tigers.

When all was said and done, the Le Sueur fourth was Hofmann's biggest obstacle. With the bases loaded, a balk was called in a moment of confusion-catcher Schultz called time and the batter stepped out, but it was never granted, resulting in Hofmann ceasing his delivery. However, our bearded bulldog got a strikeout of John Schaffler to end the inning and keep the score 2-1.

That would be all the scoring as Fritz and Hofmann continued to dispatch hitters, wrapping up with Hofmann throwing a season-high 131 pitches for the complete game victory. Hofmann scattered five hits, four walks and a balk to bump his record to a team-high six victories.
A postgame strategy session and fundraiser was held and well attended. Among other things, we now know what the 'W' stands for on Waconia's hats.

This page was created and maintained by Nick Kornder, Sports Information Director at the University of Minnesota, Crookston. The views and ideas on this page are that of the author, and not those of the University of Minnesota.