Manitowoc 4, Branch 10
July 5, 2009

MANITOWOC — Manitowoc Heat starting pitcher Eric Dayton registered 19 strikeouts and left his team within striking distance of the Branch Blaze entering the final inning of play Sunday.
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Three Heat pitchers and 10 Blaze batters later, Manitowoc’s shot at a second win this season was out of reach.

Branch batted through the order in the top of the ninth inning and plated four runs to turn a 6-4 lead into a 10-4 Shoreland League victory at Municipal Field.

Only one of the six Branch runs allowed by Dayton through eight innings was earned and after plating three runs in the seventh to move within two, the Heat appeared to be rallying.

Then came the ninth.

Player-manager Scotty Seal, Broc Luebke and Steve Baxter all pitched the ninth inning for Manitowoc with Baxter picking up all three outs in the half inning. The trio gave up four earned runs off two hits, three walks and three hit batters.

A.J. Lorrigan drew a bases loaded walk for the first run of the inning and then Ryan Lindner registered a two-RBI single to move the Blaze up by five. Dan Novak brought home Peter Liermann for the final run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Branch took an initial 3-0 lead in the third inning after three two-out errors extended the inning and set up Luke Kiel for a two-RBI single.

Branch committed six errors in the game while the Heat committed five.
Wettstein was 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored to lead the Blaze bats. Novak was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored while Kiel drove in three runs.

Justin Otto received the win, giving up five hits and four runs, two of which were earned. He struck out five and walked four over seven innings.

Casey Sieracki, Seal, Casey Brauer and Broc Luebke registered hits for the Heat.