Neillsville Downs Loyal In 8 Innings
Wednesday, April 26th, 2017 -- 6:49 AM
The Neillsville baseball team scored 2 runs in the 7th and 1 more in the 8th inning on Tuesday to beat Loyal 6-5.The Warriors had a 3-0 lead after 4 innings, scoring all their runs on Greyhound errors. Neillsville starting pitcher, Marshall Opelt faced the minimum number of batters thru 4 innings as well, thanks to an inning ending double play and a runner caught stealing at second base. But then came the 5th inning.
In the bottom of the 5th, Opelt walked the first three batters to load the bases. He was then relieved by Logan Matson. Ethan Weinfurtner's ground ball to third was mishandled by David Harder and a run scored. Another run scored for the Hounds on a fielder's choice ground ball from Kole Bogdonovich. With two on a two out, Riley Geiger hit a 3-run homer to left center to give Loyal a 5-3 lead.
Neillsville got two runs back in the top of the 7th tie the game. Monte Dietsler led off the inning with a walk, Matson was hit by a pitch and both scored on an overthrow to first on a bunt by Noah Henchen. The Warriors got the eventual winning run in the top of the 8th when Opelt scored on a ground out after advancing to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Luke Mayer.
Matson then settled down after the wild 5th inning and retired the next 8 in a row before loading the bases in the bottom of the 8th. He got out of the jam with a strikeout to end the game.
Neillsville improves to 5-3 overall and 4-1 in the Eastern Cloverbelt. Loyal dropped to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
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