Double-header to finish the regular season

Sporting new uniforms for the first time in nine years, the Tiefel Tigers had their work cut out for them last Wednesday night. Undefeated thus far in the season, the Tigers faced their main rival, Wisconsin Metal Fab, winner of last season's tournament in back-to-back games.

The first game was a continuation of the rained-out game from two weeks before, so the Tigers started the first game with a 0-3 deficit. (WMF led after one inning of play.) With home field advantage in the make-up game, the team took the field. Paul Tiefel Jr. started at pitcher, with Gretchen Tiefel filling in at catcher. With SS Jer Gurgel and second baseman Hannah Tiefel out of town, the infield had a different look. Elizabeth Plath played first base, Rebekah Carstensen covered second base, while Paul Tiefel III plugged the gap at shortstop and Tim Burns played third base. The outfield was comprised of Jarrod Lentz, Emily Tiefel, Jill Tiefel and Mark Tiefel.

The defense held the opposing team scoreless in the second inning. The offense started strong with a lead off single from Paul Tiefel III. An out-of-control Paul Tiefel Jr. sparked the team with a single which he stretched into a double...triple...home run. At the end of the second inning, the score was tied 3-3. The Tigers held WMF scoreless in the third inning and went on another mini-offensive burst, scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning. Following a lackluster fourth inning (too many walks!), the score was 7-9 in favor of WMF. However, the Tigers scored two runs in the fifth inning and one in the sixth and went on to win the game by the narrow margin of 10-9.

BOX SCORE: Paul Tiefel III (2B, 1B, BB), Elizabeth Plath (2 BB), Jarrod Lentz (3B), Jill Tiefel (1B), Paul Tiefel Jr. (HR, 1B), Rebekah Carstensen (BB), Tim Burns (2 1B), Emily Tiefel (1B), Mark Tiefel (2B), Gretchen Tiefel (1B)

After a brief breather, the Tigers began the second game, this time as the visiting team. With two outs, the team staged a rally with three consecutive singles by Paul Tiefel Jr., Rebekah Carstensen and Jarrod Lentz. Jill Tiefel drew a walk and Paul Tiefel III had a double to bat in some runs. The score after one inning was 3-1.

Defensively, Elizabeth Plath and Tim Burns covered the right side of the infield. Brothers Paul Tiefel III and Mark Tiefel shored up the left side. Girl power (Rebekah Carstensen, Jill Tiefel, Emily Tiefel) carried the outfield, with left-fielder Jarrod Lentz as the sole male representative. Paul Tiefel Jr. took the mound for the second game, with Gretchen Tiefel ably catching foul pop-ups behind the plate.

Once again, the fourth inning proved to be the Tigers' kryptonite, as WMF scored five runs. At the end of four, the score was 5-6. But the Tigers didn't give up, digging in on defense, lead by a determined Emily Tiefel with a catch in right field and Jarrod Lentz's diving grab in left field. On offense, the team squeaked out a run in the fifth to tie the game, and a run in the sixth to take the lead. Two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning (and an almost fatally wounded gazelle) left the final score at 9-6.

BOX SCORE: Mark Tiefel (2 2B, 1B), Elizabeth Plath (1B), Paul Tiefel Jr. (3 1B), Rebekah Carstensen (2 1B), Jarrod Lentz (2 1B), Jill Tiefel (2 1B, BB), Paul Tiefel III (2 2B, SAC), Emily Tiefel (1B, BB), Tim Burns (1B, SAC), Gretchen Tiefel (1B)

(P.S. Apologies for no report on week 9. No statistical sheet was available. The Tigers did walk away with a victory, however.)