EXPRESS BEAT HOLDINGFORD, LOSE TO CLIPPERS

May 22, 2006

Saturday afternoon in Kimball the Express came from behind to beat the Holdingford Express and on Sunday in Watkins the Clippers came back from a 2-0 deficit scoring six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to steal one from the Express in CVL action.

Sunday afternoon the Express traveled to Watkins to take on the perennial CVL power the Watkins Clippers. Kimball’s bats were silent all day but came up with two hits at the right time to score two runs. In the fourth inning Aaron Knaus looped a Texas League base hit down the right field line to score a run and put the Express on the board 1-0. Later in the sixth inning Adam Beyer hit one back up the middle to score the second run of the game to make it 2-0 Express.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the eighth inning. Jim Brubaker started on the mound for the Express and was cruising until the eighth inning.

Mike Beier lead off the bottom of the eighth inning for the Clippers with a walk, he then stole second base. Brubaker got Rob Pederson to fly out to right. After that the Express had an error and the Clippers strung four straight singles off Brubaker as Watkins struck for six runs in the inning. The game winning hit was off the bat of Bruce Geslinger as he singled to give the Clippers the 3-2 lead. A Randy Beier single chased Brubaker from the game in favor of right hander Adam Beyer. Beyer finally stopped the bleeding after another Express error and one more run was scored.

Watkins out hit the Express 8-2. Bruce Geslinger picks up the win for the Clippers as he came on in relief of starter Mike Beier. Jim Brubaker (1-1) takes the loss for the Express. Offensively for the Express Adam Beyer and Aaron Knaus were the only two that collected hits. Both being rbi singles. Todd Geislinger was 3-4 on the day for the Clippers with a double.

Holdingford

Saturday the Express were home to face the defending Class C state champion Holdingford Express and Kimball came from behind scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to give Holdingford its first loss of the season.

Kimball led 3-1 after four innings of play. In the fifth inning Holdingford exploded for five runs to take a 6-3 lead. With the big hits coming off the bats of Wade Barret as he led the inning off with a solo home run and Joe Nelson as he had a two run double off Express starter Pat Arnold.

The bottom of the sixth Kimball nibbled at that lead as Jim Brubaker hit a two run homerun over the left field wall to get the Express within one run at 6-5.

In the bottom of the eighth Kimball rallied for three runs to take the lead as Brubaker and Aaron Knaus both singled. Pat Arnold was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Brian Marquardt’s two run single to five Kimball the lead for good. With Nate Turck batting and runners on the corners, a botched suicide attempt got Arnold in a run down as he missed the sign and was tagged out. Turck laid down a perfect bunt and Marquardt made it to third on the play but Arnold was run down for out number two.

Marquardt then scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-6.

Pat Arnold went all nine inning for the Express giving up six hits and striking out six to improve to 2-0 overall on the season.

Rail Report

With the split over the weekend the Express move to 5-2 overall and are now 2-1 in CVL play.

Next week will be busy for the Express as they are on the road Friday night and they will be home both Saturday and Sunday with league games against the Pearl Lake Lakers of Marty and the Luxemburg Brewers.