The Hounds had a strange and rare 2-pitcher 2-runs allowed no hitter against the Red Sox on Saturday at a windy and cold Winnemac Park.  Brian Hearns (#30, P, 1-0) and Tim Riggenbach (#8, DH/P, 1 Save) combined for 7 innings of no hit ball.  Hearns started and made it through 4 innings in between coaching 2 high school games of his own (they had a morning game, he dropped by to pitch, then went on to coach an evening game).  Hearns only faced 14 batters, 2 over the minimus–1 reached by error (on a tough error for second baseman Joe Wietecha [see YTECHA 19 on his license plate] who made a beautiful diving stop to his left on the very first play of the game, but then unfortunately threw the ball away) and the other batter reached on Hearns’ only walk of the game.  Riggenbach then took over and had 2 stellar innings (5th and 7th), but had a tough 6th where he loaded the bases with walks and hit-by-pitches, let a run in on a walk, and then a runner scored on a fielder’s choice/error.  Riggenbach struck out 5 in his 3 innings of work, also allowing no hits, and earning the 3-inning save.
One of the batters that Riggenbach plunked was the final cut of the season from the Hounds, Derrek Krouse.  Manager Matthew Steffens (#5, SS) had cut him late in the pre-season, but recommended that he tryout for the Red Sox, feeling he was good enough for the league, but felt the Hounds just didn’t have a spot for him.  Riggenbach welcomed Derrek to the Chicago Metropolitan Baseball Association by nailing him in the back on the very first pitch he faced.  (Not on purpose.)
The Hounds scored 5 runs in the game, with newcomer Garrett Eddy (#22, RF) scoring in the first inning after reaching on an error.  Brent Schoenbach (#7, 3B) “drove” in the run by also reaching by error (since it was after 2 outs, no scored RBI).  In the 3rd inning Steffens drew a walk, went to second on a single by Eddy, stole third, and then scored on a sacrifice fly RBI by Wietecha.  The Hounds scored 3 runs in the 4th as Max Kiefer (#21, LF) reached on a fielder’s choice (after a single by Tony Correa (#13, C), rookie Stephen Correa Jr. (#20, 1B, no relation to Tony, but both are NOT doctors) then singled, and Riggenbach tripled to right, driving in 2.  Steffens then singled (according to the book, but I thought I reached by error), driving in Riggenbach.
After the scare in the 6th when the bases were loaded and the Red Sox scored 2, Riggenbach settled down in the 7th handling things all by himself, with a strikeout, 1-3, and 2-1.  Again, according to the book, but that seems weird.  Maybe it was a 2-3?  In any event, Hounds win the opening game!
McDonald’s count = Matthew Steffens = 0; Marcia Steffens = 1

The Chicago Hounds were supposed to take the field today at Southwest Park in Park Ridge to face the mighty Marlins for Opening Day of the 2016 CMBA campaign, but the rain gods would not have it, and tonight’s game was cancelled due to flooding.
The Hounds schedule is attached, I will update you all on the rescheduled Marlins game once it is posted.
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Hope you all are well and happy 2016 baseball season!

2016-Hounds-Schedule.xlsx