Announcement
Kiwanis Avert Sweep by Nationals
Posted by Steve Elliott on
Jul 09 2004
at
05:00PM PDT
in 2019 Season
By Steve Elliott
Historic Horlick Field welcomed the Nats for the first time Friday as the squad faced the Racine Kiwanis in a key matchup of playoff contenders. The Kiwanis entered the doubleheader holding an edge, sitting second in the standings (6-1) and having defeated the Nats 5-1 earlier this season.
The edge was quickly negated. Despite missing BP due to travel delays, the Nats bats were lively in the first inning. Mike Wajerski led off the game with a hustle double, erasing memories of Tuesday's tough loss and setting an aggressive tone for the team. Jared Stengel's single scored Wajerski, giving the team an early 1-0 lead. The Nationals threatened to break the game wide open, scoring two more runs in the inning. Gibson's aggressive attempt to score a fourth run on Kellen Haynes' single to left, however, was thwarted by a strong relay throw from the Kiwanis' third baseman. Gibson out at the plate, Tim Spata then grounded out to end the inning.
That proved to be more than enough offense for the team. Newly acquired pitcher Brandon Kellbach dominated on the mound. Kellbach showed the command, power, and poise that had earned him a professional contract for the Gateway Grizzlies in the Frontier League. Kellback shut out the Kiwanis, striking out 12 in the 7 inning complete game victory.
With a 5-0 victory neatly under their belts, the Nats were poised and ready for a sweep. After line outs by Wajerski and Jacob Paige, Jared Stengal reached on an error in the first inning of the nightcap. Chris Marks then hammered a single to right and Brian Gibson followed with an clutch RBI to give the team an early 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Tim Spata endured some hard luck in the bottom half of the inning, though. Two infield hits and an error allowed the Kiwanis to tie the game at 1. The Kiwanis added tallies in the second and third to take a 3-1 lead, ending Spata's night.
Kellen Haynes created a run in the fourth. After reaching on an error, Haynes promptly stole second. Then, Haynes aggressively took third on Pat Bovee's ground ball to short. Haynes' play clearly distracted the Kiwanis' shortstop who rushed to make the pick. When the ball went under his glove, Haynes was able to score and put the Nationals back in the game at 3-2.
The Nats continued to battle back. Reliever Tim Ustruck averted trouble in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, holding the Kiwanis scoreless. Brian Gibson's triple in the fifth scored Jake Paige and the Nats were back to even at 3-3.
Twice the Nationals appeared to grab the lead. Kellen Haynes blast to left field in the sixth inning was caught at the wall 330 feet from home plate. In the seventh, Jared Stengel hit a similar blast to the same location which appeared to clear the foul pole for a home run. Home plate umpire Ben May disagreed, ruling the ball foul. That would be the last gasp for the Nats.
Pat Bovee relieved Tim Ustruck to start the seventh. An infield single and a line single to right put runners on the corners with one out. The Nats pulled in CF Mike Wajerski for a 5 man infield, but the strategy was thwarted when the Kiwanis' 6 hitter lined Bovee's first offering to right field for the game winner.
The second tough loss of the week gives the Kiwanis the tie-breaking edge over the Nats and virtually assures the locals of no better than a third place regular season finish.
Next week brings three more games. On Monday the Nats travel to Simmons Field in Kenosha to face the State League Kings. Tuesday and Friday the team is back in town to battle Milwaukee McGuire's Cats and the Pewaukee Muskies.
Historic Horlick Field welcomed the Nats for the first time Friday as the squad faced the Racine Kiwanis in a key matchup of playoff contenders. The Kiwanis entered the doubleheader holding an edge, sitting second in the standings (6-1) and having defeated the Nats 5-1 earlier this season.
The edge was quickly negated. Despite missing BP due to travel delays, the Nats bats were lively in the first inning. Mike Wajerski led off the game with a hustle double, erasing memories of Tuesday's tough loss and setting an aggressive tone for the team. Jared Stengel's single scored Wajerski, giving the team an early 1-0 lead. The Nationals threatened to break the game wide open, scoring two more runs in the inning. Gibson's aggressive attempt to score a fourth run on Kellen Haynes' single to left, however, was thwarted by a strong relay throw from the Kiwanis' third baseman. Gibson out at the plate, Tim Spata then grounded out to end the inning.
That proved to be more than enough offense for the team. Newly acquired pitcher Brandon Kellbach dominated on the mound. Kellbach showed the command, power, and poise that had earned him a professional contract for the Gateway Grizzlies in the Frontier League. Kellback shut out the Kiwanis, striking out 12 in the 7 inning complete game victory.
With a 5-0 victory neatly under their belts, the Nats were poised and ready for a sweep. After line outs by Wajerski and Jacob Paige, Jared Stengal reached on an error in the first inning of the nightcap. Chris Marks then hammered a single to right and Brian Gibson followed with an clutch RBI to give the team an early 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Tim Spata endured some hard luck in the bottom half of the inning, though. Two infield hits and an error allowed the Kiwanis to tie the game at 1. The Kiwanis added tallies in the second and third to take a 3-1 lead, ending Spata's night.
Kellen Haynes created a run in the fourth. After reaching on an error, Haynes promptly stole second. Then, Haynes aggressively took third on Pat Bovee's ground ball to short. Haynes' play clearly distracted the Kiwanis' shortstop who rushed to make the pick. When the ball went under his glove, Haynes was able to score and put the Nationals back in the game at 3-2.
The Nats continued to battle back. Reliever Tim Ustruck averted trouble in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, holding the Kiwanis scoreless. Brian Gibson's triple in the fifth scored Jake Paige and the Nats were back to even at 3-3.
Twice the Nationals appeared to grab the lead. Kellen Haynes blast to left field in the sixth inning was caught at the wall 330 feet from home plate. In the seventh, Jared Stengel hit a similar blast to the same location which appeared to clear the foul pole for a home run. Home plate umpire Ben May disagreed, ruling the ball foul. That would be the last gasp for the Nats.
Pat Bovee relieved Tim Ustruck to start the seventh. An infield single and a line single to right put runners on the corners with one out. The Nats pulled in CF Mike Wajerski for a 5 man infield, but the strategy was thwarted when the Kiwanis' 6 hitter lined Bovee's first offering to right field for the game winner.
The second tough loss of the week gives the Kiwanis the tie-breaking edge over the Nats and virtually assures the locals of no better than a third place regular season finish.
Next week brings three more games. On Monday the Nats travel to Simmons Field in Kenosha to face the State League Kings. Tuesday and Friday the team is back in town to battle Milwaukee McGuire's Cats and the Pewaukee Muskies.
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