West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The third meeting between the West Allis cross-town rivals turned out to be a pitchers duel. RHP Brian Long (Carthage) took the mound for the White Sox and RHP Phil Gnasinski took the ball for the Nationals. After playing 6 1/2 innings of scoreless baseball the Nationals finally broke through. 1B Tom Donovan led off with a base hit to right center. He was moved to third on a double by LF Alex Franson. After a strikeout to the next batter, RF Jim Jungbauer came up and drove in Donovan with a 2 hopper to first base. After a walk to the next batter, 2B Mike Kenseth (UW-Whitewater) came up with a big opposite field single to right center, bringing in the second run of the game. With the score 2-0, the White Sox came up in the 8th and put 1 run across the board. The Nats couldn't score in the 8th, so it brought up the White Sox in the top of the 9th against Alex Franson, who relieved Gnasinski. The leadoff man got on with a base hit to right. That brought up CF Johnny Meier, who laid down a sacrafice bunt. Donovan picked up the ball and made a decent throw, but Kenseth couldn't handle the throw and the ball got away, leading to runners on 2nd and 3rd, with no outs. The next batter walked, bringing up C Matt Lenski with the bases loaded. He hit a 2 hopper back to Franson on the mound, who threw to C Jared Stengal for the first out, Stengal then fired a throw to first, in which Donovan couldn't handle. The throw was there, it was just dropped, making it a bases loaded, 1 out situation. Cleanup hitter 3B Matt Schrader struck out swinging, to bring a bases loaded, 2 out situation for SS Mike Olszewski. Olszewski, who was 4 for 4 at that point, ripped a 2-run single into left center, taking the lead 3-2. The Nats left the door open and the Sox busted it down. The Sox put RHP Jeff Livek (Carthage) out there for the save opportunity, and he went on to retire the Nationals in order in the bottom of the 9th. Yet another tough loss for the Nationals, who continue to find ways to lose. Next up: DH vs. Milwaukee Mets on Saturday