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May 9, 2000
Hauger lifts SCMCBy BOB VARMETTE Journal Sports Writer NEW ULM -- Why do the work when you don't have to? Ben Hauger's performance on the mound Monday was anything but dominating, at least in the execution. But in the results, it couldn't have been much better, and he had his defense to thank for that. Hauger threw a complete-game one-hitter for Springfield/ Cedar Mountain/Comfrey in the Tigers' 4-1 win over New Ulm Cathedral in Tomahawk Conference baseball at Johnson Park. The win is the first of the conference schedule for SCMC. "The defense, I just love the defense," Hauger said. "They've improved tremendously. They're the reason we came out on top." Hauger (2-1) struck out only two batters and walked four. The only hit by Cathedral (6-7, 5-5) was Brandon Reinarts' triple to the gap in right to lead off the game. Reinarts scored the Greyhounds' lone run on Dusty Wilfhart's sacrifice fly to right field one batter later. But the Greyhounds had chances against SCMC (4-9, 1-9). The seventh was the only inning Hauger set Cathedral down in order. And there were the errors. Two of the runs surrendered by Mike Hall (3-2), who also went the distance, were unearned. In all, Cathedral committed five errors. "By this time of the year, we should be making the routine plays," Cathedral coach Bob Weier said. "We didn't do that today. The fact we didn't hit the ball makes that even more important." The Greyhounds did hit the ball, but they hit a lot of balls right at the Tigers. And even when the Greyhounds didn't, the Tigers proved they could run them down. "I thought it went very well," SCMC coach Bob Fink said. "It was nice to see no breakdowns. For that not to happen today was a plus." After Reinarts tripled, not one of the five Cathedral baserunners got past second. Joey Penkert and Joey Schugel got stranded in the second and third innings, respectively. Hans Biebl was gunned down trying to steal second by SCMC catcher Adam Luckhardt in the fourth. In the sixth, Schugel reached on the Tigers' second error, but Hauger got out of the inning when the Greyhounds' Aaron Kiecker lined out to Mike Amsden, doubling up Schugel, who got caught off second. "I didn't have my best stuff," Hauger said. "I've pitched better innings before. In the later innings, I was letting the ball get up a little." Weier agreed. "I think our kids swung at good pitches," Weier said. "We hit it hard, but we didn't hit it consistently enough to win." The Tigers picked up the only runs they needed in the top of the third, and they got the two runs despite the fact they only got two outs. Here's how it went: -- Amsden walked to lead off the inning. Adam Timm followed with a single. Both advanced on a Hall wild pitch. Luckhardt earned a walk on five pitches to load the bases. -- Aaron Nelson sent a grounder to second. Wilfahrt went to home to force Amsden for the first out. -- But Cathedral catcher Reinarts tried to double up Nelson at first. Reinarts' throw was wide and sailed into foul territory well down the line. Timm and Luckhardt both scored and Nelson went to third. Still one out. -- Bryan Long walked, and with Nick Sturm facing an 0-2 count, got himself picked off first by Hall. That's the second out. The Greyhounds rushed to the dugout; the Tigers did the same. It didn't matter in the end. And SCMC added single runs in the fourth and seventh innings. They got both runs without benefit of a hit. More importantly, the Tigers got that first conference win. "It's been frustrating," Fink said. "This has been one of my most enjoyable groups. They keep coming out and battling. They came to play the game today the way it should've been played." SCMC will host Wabasso in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. today at Riverside Park in Springfield. Cathedral hosts Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop in a doubleheader beginning at 4:30 p.m. today. SCMC 002 100 1 -- 4 3 2 CATHEDRAL 100 100 0 -- 1 1 5 Hauger and Luckhardt. Hall and Reinarts. W--Hauger, 2-1. L--Hall, 3-2. HRs--None.
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