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Beetles Walk off with 13-12 Win

August 6, 2012 - Northwoods League (Northwoods)
Alexandria Beetles News Release


Alexandria, MN - Hitter-friendly Knute Nelson Memorial Ballpark has led to some wild back-and-forth ballgames in the last several weeks. Sunday afternoon saw the latest installment as the Alexandria Beetles (29-34, 16-12) moved to their high-water mark of the summer, four games above .500, with a 13-12 walk-off victory over the Mankato MoonDogs (39-24, 11-17).

The win completed a sweep of the MoonDogs and moved the Beetles to 8-2 against the first-half champions this season. Sunday also marked the second walk-off in as many days for Alexandria.

Looking to pull within two games of first-place Willmar with an upcoming two-game series against the Stingers on Monday and Tuesday, Alexandria fell behind early when the MoonDogs scored three runs off Michael Reed with two walks and two singles.

The three-run deficit was quickly erased as RBI-machine Ben Moore delivered a single to drive in Matt Lowestein in the first and in the second, a sacrifice fly from Robert Case and throwing error on the shortstop on a grounder from Josh Carpenter tied the ballgame.

Mankato and Alexandria remained tied until the fifth when the Beetles jumped to their first lead of the ball game. Carpenter doubled to lead off the inning and Matt Lowenstein dragged a perfect bunt along the first-base line. Starting pitcher Mike Avila tried to shovel to first and threw wildly away allowing Carpenter to score and give the Beetles a 4-3 lead.

That lead was short-lived as Mankato exploded for seven runs on four hits in the sixth inning against Reed and reliever Mitchell Babb. The MoonDogs brought 11 men to the plate as the first eight men all reached on four singles and four walks. David Andriese, Kyle Turner, Danny Murphy and Chase Simpson all delivered RBIs for Mankato as the MoonDogs took a 10-4 lead.

But the best offense in the Northwoods League was undeterred by the large deficit as Alexandria sent 12 men to the plate and scored seven runs of their own with seven consecutive men reaching with two outs. Mike Morman singled to lead off the inning and with one out, Dallas Hannah singled to center and Case hit his second sacrifice fly of the ballgame.

With two outs and still trailing 10-5, Carpenter, Vavra, Morman and Loeffler all drove in runs and the Beetles left the sixth with their one-run lead restored.

The first batter for the MoonDogs in the seventh inning tied the game as David Andriese homered on a 1-0 pitch to set up a back-and-forth finish in the series finale.

Alexandria responded with a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning to retake the lead at 12-11 on another RBI single for Moore, who set the Alexandria Beetles single-season record for hits in a season in the ballgame.

A half inning later, Mankato re-tied the ballgame and only a tremendous play at first place by Loeffler preserved the tie. The MoonDogs loaded the bases with no one out on a double by Simpson, hit batter, and single from Afenir. Chad Christensen then hit a hard groundball behind the third base bag and Hannah stepped on the bag for one out and short-hopped a throw to first looking to turn a double play. Loeffler made a brilliant back-handed scoop to save an error and complete the double play though the tying run scored.

That set up late-game dramatics for the second time in the series after Matt Lowenstein sent the Beetles to a walk-off victory in the first game on Saturday. Case led off the ninth with a hit by pitch and Carpenter singled through the left side before Lowentsein bunted the runners into scoring position. On the first pitch to Tanner Vavra, the league's leading hitting lined a game-winning single into centerfield.

Alexandria begins the critical series with Willmar on Monday night at 7:05 CDT from Knute Nelson.

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