Faribault Lakers Win Regular Season Final Game

It wasn't pretty but as one of the Faribault Lakers fans told me after the game, "I'd rather win ugly than lose pretty."  Faribault defeated the New Prague Orioles 10-9 at Bell Field.

The Lakers had a 6-0 lead after five innings and led 9-2 after 6 innings.  The Orioles scored 6 runs in the 8th to make it a game although some of that came with assistance in the form of walked in runs and errors.

Tyler Francis earned the win after starting the game for Faribault and left after the 7th inning.  He allowed 7 hits, 2 runs, recorded 3 strikeouts with two walks and a hit batsman.  He threw 99 pitches, 70 strikes and was 27 of 33 in first pitch strikes.

Danny Pierce had a great night at the plate going 4 for 5 with a double and 3 RBI.  Also leading the Lakers on offense Willie Von Ruden clubbed a 2 run double after a sacrifice bunt in his first trip to the plate.  He was then safe on an error in my scorebook and walked.

Faribault scored 2 runs in the third inning, added 2 in the 4th, collected 2 more in the 5th, 2 in the 6th before adding 1 run in the 7th and the 8th innings.  New Prague had what would have been the tying run thrown out at the plate in the top of the 9th inning.

Matt Lane notched a save two days after starting in Lonsdale.  He threw 17 pitches, 10 for strikes, starting the inning allowing back to back singles.  That was followed by 3 ground balls in a row.

Porter Sartor went in to start the 8th inning on the mound giving up four consecutive hits before getting a strikeout.  He left after walking in a run with the bases loaded.

Joey Grote walked the first batter he faced with the bases loaded, the recorded a strikeout for the second out.  There was an error before Grote allowed another bases loaded walk before getting a strikeout to end the big inning for the Orioles.

In the 7th New Prague scored 6 runs with 12 batters going to the plate.

The DRS League is wrapping up their regular season this weekend and then the playoffs will begin.  The top 6 teams in the league (Faribault should be among them) will receive byes and go to Region 3C action.  The bottom 4 teams in the league will play next week to determine where they will be placed in the Region bracket.

Lakers Head Coach Charlie Lechtenberg said following the game Faribault will go to Dundas Wednesday for a playoff tuneup game against the perennial Class B power.

Sartor threw 27 pitches, 16 strikes to the 7 batters he faced.  Grote tallied 23 pitches, 11 strikes and faced 5 batters before Lane threw in the 9th inning.

New Prague closes their regular season Sunday at St. Patrick.  First pitch scheduled for 2:00 p.m. with dollar foul balls.