EXPRESS DOWN BUT NOT OUT

August 9, 2004

Sunday the Express dropped their first region 10C game in over a year. They lost a heartbreaker to the St. Cloud Orthopedic Ice in extra innings Sunday after leading for the first eight innings at Watkins Baseball Park.

Kimball jumped out to a nice 4-0 lead in the second inning as they knocked Ice starting pitcher Paul Buboltz around the yard. The big hits coming off the bat of Pat Arnold as he scorched a bases loaded single into right field scoring a pair and Brooks Marquardt blasted a double to the left centerfield gap plating two more.

Express starting pitcher, a draftee from Eden Valley Dan Hansen, kept the Ice in check for three innings before surrendering three runs in the fourth inning to get the Ice to within one run at 4-3.

The score stayed that way until the sixth inning when Express loaded the bases after an Ice error, a single and a walk. Joe Pennertz then coaxed a walk to score Brooks Marquardt from third to make it 5-3 Express.

In the seventh inning the Ice mounted a huge threat as draftee Joby McCann from Eden Valley was on the mound. McCann was in his second inning of relief after coming on for Hansen in the sixth inning. The Ice got things going in the seventh with walk and a “Texas League” single followed by a sac bunt attempt that McCann fielded cleanly and had a play at third for a force out but the throw was just a bit high and deflected into left field off the glove off third baseman Nate Turck to score a run making it 5-4. The next batter walked loading the bases.

Pat Arnold came on in relief of McCann and had to face the meat of the Ice batting order. He got Andy Auger to pop out just behind second base to second baseman Brian Marquardt and then fanned Jason Fischer and Hans Hoerning to end the threat and get the Express out of a jam.

Both teams failed to score in the eighth inning setting the stage for the ninth. Arnold still on the mound for the Express gave up a single by Jon Willams to start the inning. Ice first baseman Ryan O’Hara sac bunted him to second and Andy Auger singled to centerfield scoring Williams to tie the game. The Express had a runner in scoring position in the bottom half of the ninth but couldn’t get him across as the game went into extra innings.

In the top half of the extra frame Arnold gave up a single, a sac bunt followed up by another single and the Ice had runners at the corners with one out. Second baseman Williams hit a change up deep to left field for a sac fly scoring the winning run from third. Kimball came up in the bottom of the tenth inning and failed to get anything really going and went down in defeat 6-5 to the Ice.

Round One Sauk Centre Titans       

Brooks Marquardt pitched a complete game to pick up the victory and Scott Marquardt’s three run double in the seventh inning helped advance the Kimball Express past the Sauk Centre Titans in Region 10C play at Watkins Friday night.

A pitchers duel it was until the seventh inning when the Express rallied for three runs to break open a scoreless game. Rob Mettenburg was on the mound for the Titans. Kimball opened the seventh with a single by Brian Marquardt. Pat Arnold then reached as he attempted to sac bunt Marquardt to second. It was a perfect bunt and the Express had two runners on. Nate Turck grounded out for the first out. Brooks Marquardt then reached on a sac bunt attempt as the Titans were not able to make the play as Marquardt laid down a beauty and beat it out with his incredible speed. Jeremy Kuechle then lined out to short setting the stage for Scott Marquardt’s blast to right centerfield that cleared the bases.

In the bottom of the eighth Aaron Knaus blasted a triple to deep left centerfield scoring Joe Pennertz from third which turned out to be a huge run after seeing the Titans come back from 4-0 in the ninth.

The Titans mounted a rally in the ninth as they scored all three runs. Titan Joe Fredrichs flied out to left with the bases loaded to end the game. Brooks Marquardt went all nine striking out seven, walked two and gave up seven hits.

Rail Report

The Express are down but not out after the loss Sunday to the Ice. After the game they were reminded that no matter what happened one team is going to come out of this region tournament and advance to the state tournament with at least one loss.

The Express will play in Watkins again Friday night against the Cold Spring Rockies as every game from here on out is do or die for the Express. They will be looking to avenge two regular season defeats at the hands of the Rockies when they take the field Friday night. If the Express lose they are done for the season. If they win, they will play at 4:00 Saturday and if they win that game they will play right after that at 7:00. If they can put a winning streak together of three games they will advance to state tournament play.

Take a couple hours out of the busy Kimball Days festivities and come on over to Watkins to cheer on the Express!