By Darrell Wellman
The Auburn Co-op Juniors struggled offensively in two games last week. The locals fell to Syracuse 2-1 on July 6 and to Tecumseh 11-3 the next evening.
At Syracuse, Auburn batters managed only three hits, but drew nine bases on balls and one player was hit by a pitch. The locals left 13 men on base, including the bases loaded twice.
Joe Nelson had two singles and Clancy Young had the other.
Casey Beutler walked in the seventh inning, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on another ball which got past the Syracuse catcher.
Syracuse’s two runs, both unearned, came in the second and eighth innings, with the winning run being the result of two Auburn miscues.
Coach David Warner said Nick Behrends pitched a strong game before being relieved in the eighth inning by Rob Beasterfield. Behrends allowed just four hits and three bases on balls, while striking out 11.
Syracuse made no errors, while Auburn committed three.  
Grant Leslie drew three bases on balls, while Nick Grable had two walks and was hit by a pitch. Tyler Collin also drew two bases on balls.
Loecker and Burr pitched for the home team.
Beutler had two stolen bases. Collin, Leslie and Clancy Young each stole a base.
Scoring by Innings:
Auburn 0-0-0-0-0-0-1-0--1
Syracuse 0-1-0-0-0-0-0-1--2
Tecumseh 11, Auburn 3
Things started badly for the Auburn Co-op Juniors against visiting Tecumseh on July 8 and didn’t get much better before the game was called because of rain in the fifth inning. Only three of Tecumseh’s runs were earned that night.
The visitors had a single and triple in their first at bat to take a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first inning, Collin reached on a fielder’s choice and Beutler drew a base on balls prior to Leslie’s hitting a three-RBI home run.
In the top of inning two with one out, five of Tecumseh’s next six batters reached first base on three singles, a base on balls and an error, and all five scored to put the visitors on top 6-1.
Auburn’s offense then went cold and Tecumseh added five insurance runs in the third inning. None of these runs was earned and they were aided by three errors by the hosts.
Milke pitched the first 2 2/3 innings for Auburn before being relieved by Beasterfield. Milke’s record fell to 5-6 with the loss. Beasterfield mostly held the visitors in check.
Auburn batted in the third and fourth innings with no one reaching base. Tecumseh pitched in the top of the fifth and the rains began to fall heavily enough that officials called the game prior to Auburn’s coming to the plate in the bottom of inning five and trailing 11-3.
Scoring by Innings:
Tecumseh         1-5-5-0-0---11
Auburn Juniors 3-0-0-0-XXX