EXPRESS WASHED OUT SUNDAY

May 24, 2004

The CVL game between the Kimball Express and the St. Augusta Gussies scheduled for this past Sunday was washed out. The make up game will be Tuesday July 13 in Watkins at 7:30. The Express did manage a split in the two games they did play this past week. Winning 9-6 in Hutchinson on Wednesday and dropping a close one to the Cold Spring Rockies on Saturday night.

Cold Spring

On a cool overcast Saturday evening in Cold Spring the Express dropped one to the Rockies in CVL play by a score of 3-1.

The Rockies jumped out to an early lead in the first inning as they plated two runs. They added one more in the third inning off Kimball starter Justin Hill (1-1). This was Hill’s second start of the year and he pitched six solid innings allowing the three runs, walked one and struck out one. He gave way to Joe Krippner who started the seventh inning and threw two innings of shutout ball.

The Express offense could not take advantage of eight walks issued by Rockies starter Rick Burtzel and it killed them. The biggest threat Kimball posed was in the top of the eighth inning. With runners at second and third with no outs they failed to get anything across as Pat Arnold and Tom Marquardt struck out and Joe Krippner grounded out to the pitcher. The Express usually hit the ball very well at Cold Spring Ballpark, it just wasn’t meant to be Saturday.

It was that kind of day for the Express as their record falls to 4-3 in league play and 5-3 overall.

Hutchinson

Manager Tom Marquardt’s two run single in the top of the ninth inning broke open a tie ball game and put the Express ahead for good as they pulled away from the Class B Hutchinson Huskies in amateur baseball action on a humid May evening Wednesday in Hutchinson.

Marquardt inserted himself in the lineup to lead off the top of the eighth inning with the Express down 6-5. Marquardt singled to right field to start the rally. He was driven in later in the inning as his son Brooks Marquardt singled to tie the game up. Tom finished the night 2-2 with two rbi and a run scored.

In the top of the ninth Tom struck again as he batted with one out and the bases loaded. He singled to right field to score two giving the Express the lead for good.

Joe Krippner came on in relief of Kris Hagen in the seventh to pick up the win. Mike Arnold scored the winning run in the ninth after hitting his second double of the night. Arnold finished 3-4 2 2b, 3R, 2 rbi.