West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The West Allis Nationals again overcame oppressive conditions Friday night downing the Kenosha Bobcats by a score of 12-2.   The locals pounded out 17 hits in triple digit heat and humidity to secure their third straight victory and maintain momentum heading into home stretch of their regular season schedule.

All Star nominee Colby Gee (.422  10 RBI) led the offense with 4 hits and 4 RBI's.   Veteran Jared Stengel contributed 3 hits and two RBI's while All Star Matt Richer (.459  11 RBI) and leadoff hitter Luke Maldonado (.429) also added 3 hits and an RBI each.  

All Star Andy Kovarik (3-1 1.05 ERA) went 7 strong innings on the bump, allowing no earned runs and striking out 7.

The Nats got on the board early, scoring twice in the first inning.   Matt Richer's RBI triple plated Luke Maldonado, who had led off the game with a single.   Colby Gee then followed with an RBI single to score Richer.   The Nationals built on that lead with a run in the third on back-to-back doubles by Mike Merritt and Jared Stengel.  After an unearned run in the fourth, the Nats broke the game open in the fifth, plating 4 more runs and chasing Bobcats starter Brendan Schultz from the game.  In the seventh, Gee knocked in Richer after Richer had doubled with one out to push the lead to 9-0.   The scoring closed with a three run, five hit ninth inning.

Next up for the Nationals are the league leading Kenosha Kings.   The two squads square off on Tuesday night at Zirkel Field beginning at 7:30pm.