EXPRESS BRING HOME THE HARDWARE

June 14, 2004

The Express went into this weekend with an overall record of 8-5. When the dust settled on Sunday afternoon the Kimball record stood at 12-5 as they went on a terror outscoring their opponents 44-13 in four games in route to capturing the 2004 St. Cloud Sports Inc. Amateur Baseball Tournament at Dick Putz & Joe Faber Fields in St. Cloud.

New Munich

The Express opened the tournament facing off against a Stearns County League power, the New Munich Silverstreaks on beautiful Dick Putz Field. Kimball took advantage of five Silverstreak errors and won 8-3 behind a solid pitching performance from Pat Arnold (4-1) as Arnold picked up his fourth win of the season.

Offensively the Express scored five runs in the fourth inning opening up a tight 1-0 game. They added two more in the fifth inning to give the Express a 8-0 lead. Arnold was cruising along with a shutout going through five innings. In the sixth the Express  committed two errors and Arnold hit the lead off batter leading to all of New Munich’s runs in the inning.

Waite Park H.R. Pesty’s

In the second game of the tournament the Express faced off against H.R. Pesty’s of Waite Park Saturday in the nightcap game on Joe Faber Field. The Express jumped all over Pesty’s in this one winning 12-2 in a game called after five innings because of the ten run rule.

Mike Arnold led the charge as he sent a moon ball rocket shot into the night over the left centerfield fence. It was a tape measure shot coming in at 430ft. Arnold would later double and finish the evening 2-2 with a HR, 2B, BB and an rbi. Nate Turck collected two hits on the night and scored three runs. Brooks Marquardt was another key contributor chipping in with two hits and scoring two runs. Five Express players scored at least two runs on the evening.

Justin Hill started and picked up the win for the Express as he pitched masterfully considering he is trying to balance a hectic work schedule and juggle family duties. His presence at the ballpark is very much welcomed. Hill last pitched two weeks ago against the Watkins Clippers. As a matter of fact that is the last time Hill picked up a baseball. So pitching like he did late Saturday night was very good to see. The Express will need his arm down the stretch. Hill worked all five innings and struck out six walking one and allowing four hits.

St. Cloud Orthopedic

Sunday morning the Express found themselves back on the diamond at Joe Faber Field squaring off with the St. Cloud Orthopedic Ice in the tournaments semifinal round. Kimball came back from a three run deficit to take their third game in a row 9-3 as they advanced to the championship game. 

Kimball exploded for six runs in the fourth inning taking the lead for good. A two run double by Scott Marquardt and an rbi double off the bat of Aaron Knaus were the big hits of the inning. The score stayed 6-3 until the sixth inning when Scott Marquardt who finished the day 4-4 with 3 2b, 2 rbi smacked his third double of the game followed by Mike Arnold’s second solo blast of the tourney. Later in the inning Brian Marquardt drove in Joe Pennertz to make the final score 9-3. Pennertz broke out of a little slump finishing the game 3-4 scoring two runs and had an rbi.

Brooks Marquardt got the nod for the Express going the complete game picking up the win. He allowed five hits and walked two in pitching a very solid game propelling his team to the championship game.

O’ Haras

In the championship game the Express bats didn’t cool off as they collected 15 hits on their way to a 15-5 blow out which ended after six innings due to the ten run rule.

The Express didn’t waste much time in this one as they unleashed an offensive fiery in the second inning scoring seven runs with the big hit coming off the bat of Scott Marquardt, a three run double. They would add four more in the fourth, two in the fifth and two more in the sixth inning.

Leading the offensive barrage was Brian Marquardt as he finished the day 3-3 blasting a two run homer in the fifth inning and ended up with three rbi’s and two runs scored. Scott Marquardt set an Express record as he double in five straight plate appearances. His last three against St. Cloud Orthopedic and in his first two at bats against O’Haras. Scott finished the day 2-2 with 2 2b, 2 R, 3 rbi. Pat Arnold also got the bat going as he went 4-5 scoring two runs and driving in two as well. Mike Arnold and Brooks Marquardt also chipped in with two hits a piece and both scored two runs as well. Brooks drove in three runs from the lead off spot.

Joe Krippner started for the Express and went three innings. Joe pitched well before running into some control problems in the fourth inning. Krippner was a victim of a long second inning offensively for the Express which is tough as a pitcher to come out of. He was relieved by Jeremy Kuechle in the fourth inning. Kuechle went the final three innings picking up his first win of the season. Krippner struck out three, walked four and gave up four runs. Kuechle allowed one run on three hits in his three innings of work along with striking out one and walking one.