ARNOLD, PENNERTZ HAVE BIG WEEKEND FOR EXPRESS

May 30, 2005

Mike Arnold led the way Saturday in a win over Luxemburg and Joe Pennertz had a big day on Sunday as the Express continued their winning streak over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Mike Arnold got his bat going in Saturday’s win over the Brewers in Kimball at Veterans Memorial, Field as he led the Express sixteen hit attack going 4-5 with two doubles and had one of four homeruns Kimball hit on the day. Arnold’s solo homerun in the fifth put the Express up 8-1.

Scott Marquardt got the offense going with his team leading fifth homerun of the season in the first inning giving the Express the early 2-0 lead. Later in the sixth inning Aaron Knaus and Jim Brubaker went back-to-back with Knaus hitting a two run homer and Brubaker following suit with a solo shot off reliever Justin Savage. Savage came on in relief of starter Bryce Adelmeyer in the fifth inning. Nate Turck was 2-5 with two rbi’s on the day and Pat Arnold went 3-4 on the day.

Pat Arnold (4-0) also got the nod starting his fourth game of the year and picked up his fourth win of the season going six innings allowing two runs on five hits. He struck out four and walked three. Kris Hagen came on in relief of Arnold in the seventh inning and went the rest of the way keeping the Brewers in check.

St. Nicholas

Sunday the Express traveled to the hill in St. Nicholas to take on the Nicks in Central Valley League play. Behind the big stick of  Joe Pennertz and the right arm of Brooks Marquardt the Express blanked the last place Nicks coming home with a 12-0 victory.

Pennertz went 3-4 on the day collecting two doubles and blew the close 1-0 game open in the fifth inning with his third homerun of the season. A three run blast deep over the left field fence to give the Express a 4-0 advantage. The Express tallied on two more runs in the inning on a two run triple by shortstop Brian Marquardt to make the score 6-0. The Express rallied for two more in the sixth inning on a rbi single by Mike Arnold and an rbi double off the bat of Brian Marquardt. Brian also had a big day going 3-5 with a double, triple and three rbi’s.

The Express didn’t quit there as they scored four more runs in the top of the ninth inning taking advantage of a couple Nicks errors, walks and a hit batsmen.

Brooks Marquardt made his first starting appearance of the year on the mound for the Express as he notched his first victory. Marquardt went seven innings striking out seven and walking nobody and allowed only two hits in his outing. Joe Krippner came on in relief of Brooks in the eighth inning and kept the shutout in tact striking out one and allowing only two hits.

Rail Report

The Express improved their overall record to 8-0 on the season and upped the CVL record to 7-0 holding on to first place in the CVL South division.

In Sunday’s game against the Nicks, Matt Dingman, a will be junior at KAHS started his first amateur baseball game playing centerfield. The rookie went 1-4 singling in his first at bat on a scorching line drive back up the middle into centerfield. Dingman also flashed the leather making a diving catch towards the gap in left centerfield. It was Matty’s first career amateur baseball hit. Congratulations Matt!

This week the Express travel Litchfield on Friday night at 7:30 to take on the Blues in non-league play. Sunday in CVL play the Express host the Cold Spring Rockies at Veterans Memorial Field. The first meeting of the year between the two teams was rained out and is rescheduled for late June.

This will be the first time the Express and Rockies have met since the Rockies ended Kimball’s season last year in the Region 10C tournament. Sunday’s game is for first place in the CVL South. The Express will more than likely face Rockies ace Rick Burtzel who has been pitching very well on the season and beat the Express all three times last season. It should be a great game next Sunday, come on out to the park and catch all the action.