Game Recap - Bandits Lose By 1 in Extras.

The St. Croix River Bandits (1-1, 2-3) lost their 3rd game of the season by 1 run. The loss came at the hands of the Plum City Blues (2-1, 3-1) in 11 innings of play. From the onset of the game, the Bandits were extremely confident, they had won their previous two games, and Plum City ace Tony Garner was not in the starting line-up.

Bandits pitcher Jim Rochford got the start on the mound, after throwing 1 2/3 inning on the previous day and recording a save. The Blues took control in the top of the first inning. C Zach Watkins, hit a 2-out double to deep center field. 1B Shaun Miley hit a 1-2 breaking ball and singled to the outfield. Watkins came sliding in as Bandits catcher Steve Siqueiros positioned himself in front of home plate. Siqueiros received the ball and applied the tag, but Watkins was ruled safe as the umpire ruled that Watkins had swiped a portion of the plate.

Rochford settled down and only allowed one more hit until through the 7th inning. The Bandits offense started rallying in the 5th inning. Blues starting pitcher Chase Nelson had allowed only 2 hits through the first 4 innings of play. The Bandits tied the game at 1 after CF Scott Lindholm reached on an infield single, and was scored by a double from 3B Michael Chelberg.

The Blues got the run back in the top of the 6th inning. Rochford walked and hit the first two batters he faced. Rochford then went on to airmail a throw over to first base on a bunt attempt by Miley, scoring Nelson from 2nd base. Rochford was able to induce a flyout, and then an inning ending double play to get out of the jam.

C Steve Siqueiros connected on a 2-1 fastball for a double to left center to with 1 out in the bottom of the 6th inning. DH Brian Jacobson crushed a line drive single up the middle, scoring Siqueiros from 2nd base. 1B Trevor Todd drew a walk and Scott Lindholm singled to load the base with 1-out. Nelson was able to strikeout both RF Will Ball and 2B Curtis Roebuck to end the inning with the Bandits threatening to take the lead and blow the game open.

Zach Watkins enter the game to pitch for the Blues in the bottom of the 7th, but the Bandits were all over him. Chelberg led off the inning with a single and a stolen base. LF Michael VanderPlas hit an RBI single giving the Bandits a 3-2 lead. Siqueiros singled, advancing VanderPlas to 2nd base. After a Jacobson flyout to left field, Trevor Todd hit a 2-out single to center field. VanderPlas rounded third and came charging home to score. Blues CF Nate Prissel charged the ball and threw a rocket to catcher Shaun Miley, who had moved from 1st to C after the pitching change. There was a collision 5 feet in front of the plate, but Miley was able to hold onto the ball, and VanderPlas ended up being the 3rd out of the inning.

The Blues were able to start the 8th inning off with a tough Bandits error, and a single. Rochford was able to get Miley to pop out for the first out of the inning. 3B Cory Breidung was able to work the count to 3-1 against Rochford and turned on an inside fastball sending it towering to left field. LF Michael VanderPlas tracked it back to the wall, but ran out of real estate, with the ball landing 10 feet past the fence for a 3-Run home run. Rochford finished the inning, but the Blues led 5-3.

The Bandits trailed 5-3 heading in to the bottom of the 9th inning. SS Kyle Kahl walked with 1 out and traded places with VanderPlas after a fielder's choice got Kahl at 2nd. Steve Siqueiros hit into what looked like a game ending ground out to 2b Kevin Mueller, but the ball hopped under Mueller's glove, getting VanderPlas to 3rd base. Brian Jacobson hit an RBI single cutting the lead to 5-4. Trevor Todd followed with a game-tying-RBI single of his own, scoring Siqueiros from 2nd base and getting winning run, Jim Rochford (pinch running for Jacobson) over to 2nd base. Watkins got ahead of CF Scott Lindholm early in the count, but Lindholm was able to draw the count full. Watkins was finally able to strikeout Lindholm on a fastball in to end the inning, and send the game to extras.

Will Ball pitched the 9th and into the 10th for the Bandits before running into trouble. The Bandits summoned Trevor Todd, who pitched 7 1/3 innings in the win on the previous day, for some extra inning help. Todd was able to stifle the rally in the bottom of the 10th, getting 2 strikeouts to end the inning.

The Bandits threatened in the bottom of the 10th inning. Will Ball led the inning off with a single. 2B Curtis Roebuck tried to bunt Ball over to 2nd base, but pitcher Zach Watkins was able to field the ball cleanly and throw out lead runner Ball at 2nd base. Chelberg singled with Roebuck on first base, to put the game-winning run again on 2nd base for the Bandits.
Kyle Kahl then hit a sharp ground ball to 2nd base, but this time Blues Kevin Mueller came up with the play, throwing to 2nd to get Chelberg out. SS Chase Nelson threw over to first base to get Kahl to end the inning. The throw went wide and tall, but 1B Matt Sperger jumped up to save the errant (and what would have been game-losing) throw and attempted swipe back to tag Kahl advancing to first. Kahl was called out on what was a close play down the line, ending the inning and the Bandits threat.

The Blues plated a run across in the top of the 11th. A tired Trevor Todd allowed 3 walks after a lead off double to Chase Nelson, walking in a run. The Bandits were able to get out of the inning with a 6-2-3 double play, down only 1 run. The Bandits had the heart of the order up in the bottom of the 11th, but went down meekly with 2 strikeouts and a flyout to end the game.

"This game was going to be heartbreaker for the losing team," said starting pitcher Jim Rochford. "..each team had chances to either pull away or win the game from the 7th inning on it seemed. If you are a fan of baseball drama, this was a game to come and see, and how all games should come down. We played real well today, we hit better than they did, they played some better defense and executed better than we did, it was a great game, just unfortunate that we were on the losing end. This is still a confidence builder for our team, and we will be moving forward. There is no reason that we can't be at least a .500 team in this league if we play like we did this weekend."

***NOTES***

Boxscores Here

Game Balls

1. Michael Chelberg - 4-6, R, 2B, RBI, SB - who is this kid?

2. Brian Jacobson - 3-5, 2RBI

3. Steve Siqueiros - 2-6, 2R, 2B

Unheralded Hero(es) of the Game: To Baseball- what a phenomenal sport. Today's game was fantastic and I hope we see more just like it....except with us winning of course.

WOW Play of the Day: It was suggested that I note that of the three pitchers that threw for the Bandits on Sunday, only Trevor Todd was without a hit batsman. My official play/moment is the 2-out rally in the 9th inning that allowed the Bandits to tie to game at 5.

Things Heard On/Off the Field:

Hey, we made a deal that I don't have to pinch run for anybody

I know we are the home team

-How many innings are we playing? "11." -What?..Really? (Funny that it turned out to be true)

Rochford, I hate to say this, but I think you better pinch run for me

Umpire - This is a spectator sport, shouldn't you guys be cheering?

Umpire - Did he GO!?!? No!! Is it a Strike!!?!? Yes!!

Umpire - Shortstop! Shortstop! Stop throwing like my daughter!

Yeah I hate those guys too, I know a guy who was getting so much grief that when he was on the mound he tried to hit one of the guys harassing him and the ball ended up hitting the concession stand...

Players Missing in Action:

Adam Lewis - got a new job rolling dice at old folk's home
HS Posse - get ready for regular season's final 2 week stretch
Jake Zielsdorf - where have you gone?? Did Alex Sullivan kidnap you??
Tim Wampfler - you're still invited...
Leahy/Church Kevin - you can at least come and watch the game.....jerk!

Next Game - at Ham Lake, Sunday 5/23, Next Home Game 5/29 vs. St Paul Mud Hens x2.