Becker trims Milaca in tournament
Posted 5/30/02

Milaca battled but couldnít overcome a shoddy performance in the field as it lost to Becker 16-6 in the opening round of the Section 6AA Sub-Section 18 Baseball Tournament Thursday, May 23, at Becker.

The Wolves, who were seeded No. 6 in the tournament, committed a season-high eight errors.

"We scrapped back and stayed within striking distance until the bottom of the fifth inning," said Milaca Coach Craig Talberg. "Eventually, we just made too many mistakes to overcome.

"Becker has a good hitting team and it was able to take advantage of our mistakes."

The Bulldogs, who were seeded No. 3 in the tourney, answered a Milaca run in the top of the first inning with two runs in the lower half of the first and three more in the second.

The Wolves rallied with two runs in the third to close to within 5-3 before Becker scored a run in the third and three more in the fourth to take a 9-3 edge.

Both teams scored three runs in the fifth inning but Becker ended the game via the 10-run rule by scoring four runs in the sixth inning.

Junior Joe Barrett was Milacaís starting pitcher and he went the first two and two-thirds innings, allowing seven hits and one walk. He allowed six runs but just four were earned.

Junior Nate Roehl pitched the next inning and one-third, allowing three hits and no walks. He allowed three runs of which two were earned.

Senior Dave Christianson pitched the final two innings, allowing four hits and no walks. He allowed seven runs of which five were earned.

Barrett and Christianson each had a pair of singles and senior Luke Karels had a double to lead Milacaís seven-hit offense. Karels drove in three runs.

Senior Tom Tadych and junior Dustin Naumann each added a single.

"It was disappointing because we played so well at the end of the regular season," said Talberg. "We know weíre a better team than what we showed against Becker."

Milaca finished with a 9-8 record in Talbergís first season as head coach.

In other quarter-final games in the Sub-Section 18 meet May 23, No. 2-seeded St. Cloud Cathedral topped Foley 17-0 in five innings and fifth-seeded Big Lake stopped fourth-seeded Pierz 6-2.

Top-seeded Holdingford, which received a bye in the quarter-finals, was scheduled to face Big Lake and Becker was scheduled to meet Cathedral in the semifinals Tuesday (May 28) at Faber Field in St. Cloud.

The title game is tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 at Faber Field.