Duluth Padres Score Eight Runs But Come up Short In Playoffs

Aug 12, 2012

By: Max Mercy

RIB LAKE, Wis. — The Whittlesey Reds defeated the Duluth Padres, 12-8, in the first round of the 64th annual Wisconsin Baseball Association Playoffs here on Sat. The teams combined for 31 hits.

Whittlesey, down 4-1 in the third inning, scored three runs to tie the score in the third and plated five runs in the fourth to take the lead for good.

Winning pitcher Mike Loertscher worked 5.2 innings in relief of starter Dan Cypher. Loertscher allowed three runs on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. He also was 2-for-4 with a home run to contribute to Whittlesey’s 17-hit attack.

Matt Krueger was 4-for-5 and Jeff Kraschnewski was 3-for-5 to lead Whittlesey. Tom Mildbrand and Derek Nichols had two hits each for the Reds.

Joe Seeger, drafted from the Ashland Merchants, was 4-for-5 with a double and three runs to lead Duluth. Nick Moran was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Matt Chruscielski, Bob Baxton, and Mike Lewis had two hits apiece for Duluth. Chruscielski and Lewis each had two RBIs. The Padres pounded out 14 hits.

Duluth, down 12-5, rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning.

Losing pitcher Anthony Bush (5-3, 2.36 ERA in 68.2 IP) allowed seven runs on nine hits in three innings. He had one strikeout and zero walks. Jesse Olson pitched five innings of solid relief, allowing three earned runs on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout. Olson finished the season with a 2.51 ERA in a team-leading 71.2 innings pitched, and he set a new club record with his 15th pitching appearance.

Duluth finished the season with 12 wins and 15 losses.

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