Matt Conzemius started the game on the mound for the visitors and  was relieved by Crowley in the third inning.  Casey Vesledahl got the win, throwing a shut out in the 8th.  

 

The game started well for Becker in the bottom of the first when Andrew Stanger led off with a walk and moved to third on a Princeton error. He eventually scored on a Vesledahl hit to put the Bulldogs up 1-0.

 

In the second inning, Princeton came back with six runs on two hits, three walks and two costly Becker errors.

 

The Tigers scored another lone run in the third to push the score to 7-1.  

 

The Bulldogs got three runs back in the bottom half of the inning when Vesledahl singled, Brandon Croatt reached base on an error which moved Vesledahl to third. Robby Benson hit into a fielder’s choice,  forcing Croatt out at second and scoring Vesledahl. 

 

Eric Blomgren  stepped up to the plate and laced a double to centerfield, scoring Benson. Another error on a ball hit by Beau Pauly scored Blomgren to bring the game to 7-4, Princeton.   The Tigers added an insurance run in  top of the fourth  on a solo home run by Joe Benard. 

 

The Bulldogs started their impressive comeback in the fourth when Stanger led off with a base hit, he steals second and scores on a double by Cody Gruenhagen.  The scoring continued in the fifth when  Benson doubled and moved to third on a Pauly single. Pauly stole second with two outs and Stanger delivered both runs with a single. Stanger stole second base and scored on a double by Zach Zimmer. 

 

With the game tied  at eight going into the eighth inning, Gruenhagen led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a beautiful sacrifice bunt by Vesledahl. Croatt was intentionally walked and  Benson  delivered with a game- wining double.  

 

One of the keys to the win — besides the 13 hits the Bulldogs collected — was a play in the fifth inning.

 

Princeton had the bases loaded an no outs. The Princeton hitter hit a sharp ground ball to Stanger at shortstop, who threw to Gruenhagen at home for the first out, then on to Vesledahl at first for an outstanding double play to end the scoring threat. Becker got out of the inning without surrendering a run.

 

Leading hitters for Becker were Stanger who went 3-for-3 with two RBIs while scoring three runs. Vesledahl was 3-for-4  and Benson was 2-for-4 (2 two doubles) and three RBIs.

 

The Bulldogs were scheduled to play Thursday at home against Albany but were rained out. Friday, the team traveled to Sartell for a 5 p.m. start (full report on game in next week’s Citizen).

 

 

Tuesday, the boys took on the Falcons from Foley and lost in the bottom of the seventh in a close game.

 

Vesledahl threw a complete game for the Bulldogs, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while recording 12 strikeouts. 

 

The Bulldogs left eight runners on base and failed to come up with the big hit when they needed it. 

 

Becker scored first in the second inning on a double by Croatt and he scored on a Blomgren hit.

 

Foley tied the game in the bottom of the inning and in the third, Foley scored three runs on two Bulldog errors. Vesledahl shut them down the rest of the way until the seventh. 

 

Battling back, the ‘Dawgs scored three runs in the top of the seventh  when Pauly singled, Zimmer followed with a hit that moved Pauly to third base.

 

Gruenhagen clubbed a double to score Pauly and Zimmer. Vesledahl delivered a hit to score Gruenhagen, tying the game. But, that was all the visitors could muster as Foley escaped the inning then pushed across the winning run one inning later.

 

Gruenhagen was 3-for-4 to lead the Bulldog hitters. 

 

Up next, the Bulldogs host the Big Lake Hornets Monday at 5 p.m., then hit the road to take on Little Falls Tuesday and St. Cloud Cathedral Thursday (double header).