The Cannon Falls Bears defeated the Austin Greyhounds 3-2 in the first round of the Region 5C Amateur Baseball Tournament Saturday.  The Bears are hosting the opening weekend of the tournament.  Next weekend games will be in Owatonna.

Cannon Falls plays at 7:00 p.m. tonight against the Stewartville-Racine Sharks who defeated Owatonna 5-1 in Saturday's final opening round game.  Earlier in the day Red Wing dominated Winona 11-1 and Lake City came from behind to defeat Wanamingo 3-1.

The double elimination tournament will have four teams done after today.

Keith Meyers went the distance in the Bears win Saturday throwing 107 pitches, 88 for strikes.  Meyers struck out 8, walked 1 and hit a batter.  The Greyounds managed 7 hits, scoring their first run in the 7th inning.  After Meyers struck out the cleanup hitter there were back to back singles.  A second out was recorded before number 8 hitter in the Austin order Angel Santiago jumped on the first pitch and smacked a RBI double. Meyers recorded his 8th strikeout to end the inning.

Cannon Falls veteran Rich Burr, age 47, made two outstanding defensive plays and scored what proved to be the game winning run by sneaking home in the bottom of the 7th inning.  Burr gained first base on an error with two outs.  Zeke Williams hit a single to right field.  Burr motored around second on the hit and slowed down as he was approaching third base while the throw from the outfield was tossed into the infield.  He jogged around third base realizing Austin had not called time. About halfway down the line he kicked into a higher gear scoring on a head first slide.

The second Bears run was also a heads up base running move.  Williams hit a RBI single for the first run in the second inning scoring Alex Tauer who was safe on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.  Luke Winchell opened the inning with a single but was forced out at second base.  Tauer gained second.  Jacob Christenson singled following the Williams singled placing runners at the corners.

Christian drew a throw from Austin pitcher Yean Gil and was in a rundown between first and second that was not executed very well by the Greyhounds.  Williams scored before the third out was recorded and Cannon Falls enjoyed a 2-0 lead.

The Greyhounds scored a run in the 8th but Meyers slammed the door for the Bears win.  Cannon Falls had 6 hits in the game, 1 error, left 5 runners on base, 3 in scoring position.

Austin finished with 7 hits, 2 errors, 7 runners left, 5 in scoring position.

Gil finished the game with 100 pitches, 67 strikes over his 8 innings of work with 4 strikeouts, 1 walk, 2 hit batters.

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