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05.09.08
- After a day off due to numerous delays and postponements, the
Foresters returned to the field to continue their quest for a NAIA
Regional Championship. HU hit a bump in the road with a 5-3 loss to
NAIA 19th-ranked Spring Arbor in the first game. Facing
elimination, the Foresters rebounded with a 7-1 win over 16th-ranked
Madonna University and instead bounced the Crusaders from the
tournament.
In HU's first game,
Spring Arbor
jumped in front early with three runs in the bottom of the first.
The Foresters got one back in the third on a Andrew Drummond RBI
single, and pulled within one on a Keith Benbow jack to right
field in the fourth. The Cougars answered with a run in the both
the fourth and fifth to make it 5-2.
In the eighth, Thad Frame drove in
Benbow with a single up the middle to make it 5-3, but HU left the
tying runs stranded at first and second. Spring Arbor then got
the Foresters on three ground outs in the top of the ninth to send
them to the loser's bracket.
Both teams came up with 11 hits in
the game, but the Cougars' were more timely as evidenced by leaving
just six runners on base as compared to 13 for HU.
Michael Dalton went the distance in
the loss for the Foresters. He allowed five runs on 11 hits and
two walks. Frame led HU with three hits in the contest.
SAU Box Score
Following the loss, the Foresters had to
immediately turn around and play Madonna University with the winner
moving on to face Spring Arbor in the Championship game tomorrow.
The Crusaders lit one on the board first
in the top of the second. HU responded with two in their half of
the frame. The Foresters finally put together a big inning in
the fourth with five hits. Austan Kas delivered the knockout
punch with a one-out, three-run double. A Frame solo homer in
the sixth made it 7-1 to complete the scoring in the game.
Eric Randel pitched a gem of a game to
record his sixth complete game and tenth win of the season. He allowed
just four Crusader hits and walked one while striking out two.
Korey Grow and Edwin Rodriguez each had three hits in the game for HU
and Kas led the team with three RBI.
The Foresters will now face Spring Arbor
tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. for a chance at the NAIA Region VIII title.
Since the Cougars are undefeated in the tournament, HU would have to
beat them twice to claim the Regional Championship.
MU Box Score |
