EXPRESS DEFEAT NICKS

July 19, 2004

Mid July is the beginning of Minnesota amateur playoff baseball and with that comes win or go home intensity. Sunday afternoon the top seeded Express hosted the number four seed St. Nicholas Nicks in the first round of the double elimination CVL South playoffs and gave the Nicks a dose of reality with an 8-1 drubbing.  

The Nicks played the Express tightly in both games this season with Kimball winning 1-0 in game one and 7-6 in extra innings in game two. Kimball came out with something to prove as they jumped on the Nicks early dejecting any hopes of a first round upset. Last year the Express were upset in round one by the number four seed Pearl Lake Lakers, they weren’t about to let it happen again.

Aaron Knaus drove in two with a double to the right centerfield gap as the Express exploded in the first inning for four runs to take the early lead 4-0. They added another in the fifth on a sac fly by Jeremy Kuechle plating Nate Turck.

This was all starting pitcher Pat Arnold needed as he allowed four hits on the day and one earned run in a complete game effort. He threw 104 pitches, struck out two and walked one on the day improving his record to 7-1.

With the Express up 5-1 and cruising to victory, Joe Pennertz blasted a three run dinger over the left centerfield wall to cap it off giving the Express the 8-1 win. Pennertz finished the day 2-4 with four rbi and scored two runs. Pitcher Pat Arnold collected two hits going 2-3. Jeremy Kuechle went 1-2 with two walks, scored two runs, had two stolen bases and an rbi.