Twins take 2-game division lead
Photo by Dan Larson / Sauk Prairie Eagle
Sauk Prairie's Paul Lenerz pitches as Waunakee's Jordan Zirbel breaks for second in the fourth inning of the Twins' 9-8 win June 20 at Sauk City Athletic Field.
2 images
<< 1 of 2 >>
By Dan Larson, Sauk Prairie Eagle
REEDSBURG — Sauk Prairie and Reedsburg — the top two teams in the Western Division of the Home Talent League's Northern Section — met for the first time this season Sunday.
And Trent Sorg held second-place Reedsburg in check.
The Twins' right-hander pitched a complete-game, five-hit shutout to give Sauk Prairie a 4-0 win and a two-game lead in the division.
Taylor Koenig and Ryan McCoy hit back-to-back RBI singles in the seventh to give Sauk Prairie (8-0) a 3-0 lead, and Sorg struck out 11 while walking just one in earning the win.
Sauk Prairie 9, Waunakee 8
The fence gate that separates the third-base side of the Twins' dugout from the field of play took the brunt of Heath Salveson's frustration.
But it wasn't the Twins' third baseman's groundout in the bottom of the fourth inning of Sauk Prairie's 9-8 win over Waunakee June 20 at Sauk City Athletic Field that prompted him to slam the gate as he came off the field.
It was what preceded the at-bat that did it.
"Making an error, regardless, hurts, but giving them three runs ... really hurt," Salveson said of his throwing error in the top of the inning that allowed Waunakee to tie the game at 5-5.
Salveson, though, would make up for it in a big way.
He hit a lead-off triple in the eighth and scored one batter later on a sacrifice fly by Trent Sorg, breaking an 8-8 tie and providing the winning run.
"Coming back and getting big hits when it counted … that was huge for me," said Salveson, who also hit a two-run double after the error.
Salveson's day at the plate was indicative of the game for both teams. The Northern Section rivals combined to collect 25 hits and score in every inning but the seventh and ninth.
"It was a back-and-forth game and you just hoped you came out on top at the end of the game because everyone was hitting so well for both sides," said Sorg, who plays right field and serves as the Twins' coach.
Waunakee scored a run in the first and another in the second to take a 2-0 lead, but Sauk Prairie responded with five in the third - highlighted by a two-out, three-run double by the No. 8 hitter, Ryan McCoy.
"You really concentrate to get through the first four (batters), and then the other guys beat you too," said Waunakee coach Craig Zirbel, whose team allowed Salverson and Sorg - the No. 1 and 2 hitters - to go a combined six-for-eight at the plate, but held the No. 3 and 4 hitters — Steve Pacholke and Lucas Koenig — hitless.
"You can't take a break anywhere with any of them."
Sorg hit a solo home run to right field in the fourth to put Sauk Prairie ahead 6-5, and Salverson's two-run double came an inning later to extend the lead to 8-5.
Waunakee (2-5, East) didn't go quietly. They scored a run in the sixth on an RBI single by Ryan Statz and tied the game two innings later on back-to-back RBI singles by Statz and Matt Ripp.
"I told the team before the game, 'We're sitting on top (of the division) right now. It doesn't matter who we face, everybody is going to try and knock off the No. 1 team,'" Sorg said of Waunakee's comeback.
Mark Bender, who relieved Twins' starter Paul Lenerz after Lenerz walked the first two batters in the eighth, pitched around a walk in the ninth to earn the win.
HOME TALENT LEAGUE STANDINGS
Northern Section
East Division West Division
W L W L
Cross Plains 5 3 Sauk Prairie 8 0
Black Earth 4 3 Reedsburg 6 2
Middleton 4 4 Mazomanie 6 2
Waunakee 2 5 Plain 3 4
Ashton 2 7 Cazenovia 2 6
Pine Bluff 1 7