June 17, 2002

Stark delivers one-run defeat to St. James

BY JIM BASTIAN
Journal Sports Writer
STARK -- Winning and losing one-run ballgames can spell the difference between a successful regular season and one in which your team finishes in the second division.
For the St. James A's, this season has been one of frustration.. Of their five losses coming into their Sunday afternoon Tomahawk East League contest at Stark, three were decided by one run.
That trend continued Sunday as Stark plated a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie as the Longhorns hung a 2-1 loss on the A's.
Brad Mathiowetz picked up the win for the National Division leading Longhorns (10-2). The veteran left-hander went the distance, allowing St. James only two hits -- a Brandon Olson leadoff single in the second when St. James scored its only run and a Tim Pinke one-out single in the eighth -- while striking out four.
Dave Krause took the loss for St. James, 6-6 in the National Division. The southpaw went seven innings and scattered seven hits with three of those coming in the seventh inning.
He struck out four before being relieved by Dean Olsen who permitted only one hit the rest of the game.
Bob Schmid led the Longhorns, who will travel to Leavenworth on Wednesday for an 8 p.m. Tomahawk East match-up, with three hits. Dan Schmid contributed a double.
St. James, which left seven men on base -- three of whom were stranded in scoring position -- took a 1-0 lead in the second.
Brandon Olson reached on a bunt single and swiped second. Brad Mathiowetz walked Mark Beltz and both runners moved up to second and third on a one-out double steal.
After Luke Hage grounded out, Mathiowetz fanned Coby Kaus, but Kaus reached first and Olson scored when the ball got by catcher Lloyd Helget.
Stark knotted the contest in the bottom of the fourth.
Cole Deibele reached on a fielding error by Brett Olson and scampered to second on a Craig Schmitz' sacrifice bunt.
A Brad Mathiowetz groundout to first moved Deibele to third and scored on Dan Schmid's first pitch double to left field.
The Longhorns Craig Schmitz singled to start the seventh and went to second on a wild pitch.
A Brad Mathiowetz fly out saw him take third and then score on Cory Haala's two-out infield single.
The A's, who host Lamberton Wednesday night, mounted their final threat of the game in the eighth inning. Tim Pinke singled with one out and Brandon Olson reached on a fielding error by Brad Mathiowetz.
But Mark Beltz slapped a hard ground ball to third baseman Brian Mathiowetz who stepped on third and tossed to first to complete the inning-ending double play.
ST. JAMES 010-000-000=1-2-1
STARK 000-101-00X=2-8-0
WP: Brad Mathiowetz. LP: Dave Krause. 2B: Schmid (S).
In other Tomahawk East League games, Winthrop stopped Springfield 6-0.
TOMAHAWK EAST LEAGUE STANDINGS ON SUNDAY AT 6 P.M.
AMERICAN DIVISION
New Ulm Brewers 12-0
Lamberton 8-2
Essig 6-5
Searles 5-5
Hanska 4-7
Winthrop 2-8
NATIONAL DIVISION
Stark 10-2
Sleepy Eye 7-3
St. James 6-6
Springfield 3-7
Leavenworth 2-8
Redwood Falls 0-9