Post 8-7 Record in June (--by Brett Kruschke)
The local nine stormed past league-mate Brownton 9-3 last Tuesday, before losing to St. Patrick 7-4 on Thursday, June 30th. In Carver Central play, the Tigers have crept to 5-6, but remain in second place behind St. Peter. Overall, the borough city kitties are 10-15.
To paraphrase Lou Brown, “10-15 is hardly a great record.” But look inside the numbers, and Belle Plaine posted a winning month at 8-7, after only a 2-8 mark through May. To quote Lou again, “It’s startin’ to come together, Pepper!” (And one more time, just for fun: “We’re out of towels, and I’m too old to be diving into lockers.”)
El Tigre faced Browton again last night, at home. Details should be on the web at www.bptigertown.com, or wait for next week’s Herald. This Friday night, July8 th, is “Fan Appreciation Night” versus Arlington – game time, 7:30 pm. There will be drawings for giveaways, including state tournament apparel from last year, and season tickets for 2006! The mood should be festive out at Tiger Park.
Sunday, Belle Plaine will visit Gaylord for a 2:00 pm war on the shore. Meanwhile, Monday against St. Peter will be the final promotion of the 2005 campaign at Tiger Park – “$1-Foul Ball Night” for kids 12 and under. Kids, wear your Little League shirts if you have ‘em, would ya?! That’s the spirit! Who needs a summer job, when you can chase foul balls for a buck apiece.
And oh by the way – the Tigers host St. Peter in a game that could likely determine first place, and a first-round bye, in the CCL-White. Start time is 7:30 pm – please note this is a makeup date from an earlier rainout. It is also the last regular season home game.
On Tuesday, the Tiger Train will play their fourth game in five days – a 7:30 pm affair at Winthrop.
Tigers 9 @ Brownton 3 (Tuesday, June 28)
Belle Plaine ventured through Bongards and on to Brownton, confident in having “The Milk Carton Brothers” – Dave Kreft and Dan Weldon – for the first time in nearly two weeks. The Tigers weathered the storm surprisingly well, going 5-2 in their absence. Still, they both somehow found their way back into the lineup for this CCL-White showcase showdown.
The boys from the beautiful prairie started out early with two in the first, while Brownton answered with one. The difference was the Tigers kept pouring it on: scoring two in the third and three in the fourth, for a 7-1 lead after four.
On the mound, Dave Kreft kept the Bruins at bay, departing with a 7-3 lead after seven. The “Kreft-O-Matic Adjustable” scattered nine hits, while fanning an impressive eight Bruin strikers. (That’s right – I said strikers.)
Weldon gave the Tigers a little more breathing room in the eighth, stroking a two-run, two-out single, making it 9-3. The insurance runs proved unnecessary, as the new “Everyday Eddie” of the Carver Central – Ryan Witt – worked a scoreless eighth and ninth, with three K’s. In 13.2 innings this year, Witt’s ERA is still perfect – 0.00.
Offensively, the Tigers had two hitting studs: Dan Huber and Mike Dhaene, both of whom went 4-for-6. Huber scored four runs, batting a spot ahead of Dhaene, the three-hitter.
The striped ones were aggressive, swiping four bases, including two by Pat “I still need a nickname” Schultz. Defensively, Brownton booted six balls, while the Tigers committed nary an error.
St. Patrick 7 @ Tigers 4 (Thursday, June 30)
Ho-hum – another Tiger non-league game, another 2004 state tournament foe to battle. Mike Schultz would take his chances on the mound, and why not – he just might be the luckiest son-of-a-gun in town.
Schultz allowed two first-inning runs, but Team Tigertown roared back with three in the third for a 3-2 lead, thanks to a two-RBI, two-out single by Jonny “Pitching Wedge” Schulz. In the fifth, the Irish scored a pair of unearned runs thanks to two Tiger errors; and in the sixth, the St. Patrick Danicas nabbed three more to take control, 7-3.
Team Tigre loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, but a double play killed the rally and the locals could tally only one, making it a 7-4 final. Pat Schultz was locked in all night, going 3-for-3 with a walk, while Jonny Schulz and Zip Zellmann had two hits apiece.
We always like to point out rookie highlights – Peter Schuneman earned the sombrero, striking out three times in a row. I guess that would be a “pure” sombrero, kind of like a pure hat trick in hockey – congratulations, Peter!
This page was created and maintained by Nick Kornder, Sports Information Director at Northern State University. The views and ideas on this page are that of the author, and not those of Northern State University.