New Prague Blanks Faribault at Bell Field

The New Prague Orioles used three pitchers in a 6-0 shutout of the Faribault Lakers at Bell Field tonight.  The Lakers appeared to be gaining some momentum in the bottom of the 7th inning when a interesting call was made by the lone umpire ending the half inning and erasing the run they appeared to score.

With one out Dylan Valentyn was walked, Porter Sartor Singled and Mike Carpentier walked.  Kyle Murphy hit a grounder to the second baseman, Valentyn scored from third base.  Carpentier ran by the second baseman who attempted to catch the grounder and tag him but from the stands it appeared he was not tagged.  The second baseman pounded his glove in disgust because he dropped the ball and went over to pick it up.  The umpire ruled interference by the runner (Carpentier) going to second.  The batter is automatically called out in that instance because the interference didn't allow the second baseman to throw to first.  Inning ending double play and no run allowed because of that.

I asked Carp if he was tagged, he said no.  Chris Reuvers was coaching at first base and had one of the best looks at the play (certainly better than the lone umpire trying to see the runner touches the plate at home and the "interference" at nearly the same time.)  Reuvers could not believe the call.

If that call is not made then bases are loaded with a run scored, one out and who knows what might transpire.  It was a momentum buster for sure but even some of the Lakers said they needed to get going sooner than the 7th inning.

This was a D-R-S League game so can't the league require two umpires for their games?  I understand the desire to save a few bucks but event VFW games and little league games have more than one umpire most of the time.

Porter Sartor started the game on the hill for Faribault, going the first 7 innings.  He threw 126 pitches, 79 for strikes with 10 hits allowed, 9 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 wild pitches and a balk.  6 runs allowed, 5 earned.  Tyler Francis threw two scoreless innings with no hits allowed.  Francis struck out three of the six batters faced while throwing 25 pitches, 18 strikes.

Zach Sirek started for New Prague on the mound and was in control for his four innings of work.  Sirek threw 45 pitches, 27 for strikes with no strikeouts, no walks, one hit batter and two hits allowed.  Max Fierst went the next 4 innings, 3 hits allowed, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts.  Frank Ruzicka threw the final inning with 3 walks, 0 strikeouts and no hits.

The Orioles number three hitter in the order, Austin Bachman was a homer away from the cycle with a third inning single, fifth inning double (both to lead off the inning) and bases clearing triple in the seventh inning.  New Prague had four doubles and a triple in the win.

New Prague scored two runs in the second inning.  Colin Dorzinski opened the inning with a double.  Jake Deutsch followed with a double.  Spencer Kajer stroked an RBI single.  During a strikeout Deutsch scored on a wild pitch.

The Orioles added another run in the fifth inning when Bachman led the inning with a double.  He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ben Buthe.

In the top of the 7th inning New Prague added three more runs.  Following an inning opening error, Eric Wagner singled, Bachman clubbed a 2 RBI triple followed by a RBI single by Jame Fuerniss.

Faribault is now 9-11 and travels to Red Wing Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.  The Lakers have lost three games in a row

New Prague has won four games in a row, is 8-8, travels to New Market Sunday at 2:00 p.m. then hosts the Shakopee Coyotes Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.