Having an opponent club a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning is usually not a big game-changer for the Chaska Cubs.

Except when the game is scheduled for seven.

Austin's Craig Braaten hit a 'walk-off' homer in the bottom of the seventh on Friday night to help the Greyhounds to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs in the opener of the SpamTown Challenge in Austin.

Amateur baseball games are usually scheduled for nine innings, though tournaments often vary.

Chaska pitcher Craig Gralapp gave up just four hits over the six-plus frames, and struck out one.

The Cubs' Ryan Seifert smacked a homer and added a double to lead the Cub batters. Chaska outfielders Troy Harlander and Cass Mosley had hits, as did second baseman Eric Oscarson.

Austin's Matt Cano capitalized on a pair of sixth-inning walks with a two-run double that tied the game in the bottom of the sixth.

The Cubs had five hits, struck out seven times and did not draw a walk against Austin ace Dave Meyer.

Millers in the mix

Chaska High School graduate Blaine Rutledge had a pair of hits and drove in a run as the Minnetonka Millers downed the Austin Blue Sox 5-4 on Friday.

Jake Waldman had a two-run homer for Minnetonka, which won the tournament last year. Derek Mason gave up six hits, struck out six and walked four over seven innings to pick up the win for the Millers.

The Millers are 26-3 on the season, with one of the setbacks to Chaska.

Rain reschedules

The Austin Daily Herald reports the tournament will split into an eight-team tournament due to the weather.

Rain halted the Cubs’ second game of the tournament in the third inning on Saturday against Brookings, S.D. The game is scheduled to continue at 8 a.m. on Sunday at Marcusen Park in Austin.

The winner then plays Minnetonka at 9 a.m. at Marcusen. The victor then advances to face either Owatonna or Jamestown, N.D.

The Greyhounds and Cold Spring will meet at Hayfield for an 8
a.m. game, with the Chicago Wildcats and Stillwater playing at 10 a.m. The winners play at noon in a semifinal game.

If the skies hold, Marcusen Park hosts the championship game at 3 p.m.

- By Tim McGovern

Chaska Herald Sports Editor