BELLE PLAIN - The Silver Pirates picked up a 5-2 win on Friday evening as they knocked off Belle Plaine on their home field.
The story of the game was solid pitching, timely hitting and good defensive play by the Pirates.
Greg Schmid handled the mound duties and picked up another solid win as he issued only 2 free passes while striking out seven. Belle Plaine managed seven hits but Schmid kept them spaced out except for the first and fifth innings when Belle Plaine picked up lone runs each inning.
Perham managed only five hits but they were timely. Perham put three runs on the board in the second inning with Jim Burnos getting the only hit of the inning. Larry Mollins and Terry Haus both reached base after being used as targets by the opposing pitcher. In between, Burnos hit a sharp single to left. Mollins and Burnos were forced home on bases-loaded walks to Charlie Haverland and Rob Litzau and Haus crossed the plate after a misplay by the Belle Plaine center fielder on Tim Studers fly ball.
The Silver boys put another run on the board in the third inning as Darrin Ovsak got a leadoff walk, Jim Burnos singled and Terry Haus ripped a single to right to send Ovsak across the plate.
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Terry Haus scored the final Pirates run as he hit a double off the right field wall to lead off the sixth inning and came home on a Tim Studer single.
Terry Haus and Jim Burnos led Pirate hitters as they each picked up a pair of hits and Haus added an RBI to his stats as well as scoring twice.
Burnos also scored a run in the second inning. Tim Studer had the only other safety for Perham.
The win in Belle Plaine put the Silver Pirates in the consolation championship game on Saturday in Shakopee and the opponent was a familiar foe – The Urbank Gold Timers.
Perham took the lead with a run in the second inning – Terry Haus led off with his first of three hits on the day and came home on a Jim Burnos double.
Urbank came back with a run in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
Perham sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scored four runs to the tie the game at five with one inning to play. Perham’s runs came on RBI doubles by Ron Litzau and Terry Haus, three errors by the Gold Timers and a pair of walks. Perham hitters crossing the plate were Darrin Ovsak (reached on an error), Litzau and Haus, as well as Tim Studer who also reached on an error.
In the bottom of the seventh, it appeared Perham was about to put the game on ice as Darrin Ovsak got a one out walk and stole second to set the table for Perham’s most feared hitters – Ron Litzau and Terry Haus. Litzau had double in the 6th but this time the center fielder tracked down Litzau’s deep fly ball for the second out of the inning. Terry Haus came to the plate with two singles and a double in the books – Haus did his best to put a ball in play but he was issued a walk. Tim Studer made contact but the Pitcher snagged his ground ball and the inning was over.
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In the first extra inning played – Urbank was able to force a run across on a pair of walks and a hit. Perham was three up and three down to give Urbank the 6-5 victory.
Tim “Doc” Studer took the mound loss for Perham as he gave up seven hits in eight innings and allowed 7 walks while picking up six strikeouts.
Perham’s totals were five runs on five hits, they picked up five free passes and committed three errors. Urbank committed five errors in a game that was less than perfect.
Terry Haus led all Perham hitters as he was a perfect 3-3 with a double, a RBI and three runs scored. Ron Litzau and Jim Burnos were each 1-4 with an RBI and Litzau had a run scored.
So another successful season is in the books for the Perham Silver Pirates and they will look forward to 2014 and playing their home games on one of the best fields on Minnesota – Tuffy’s stadium at Krueger field.
