Game Recap - Hubbers Hammer Bandits

The St. Croix River Bandits (1-2, 3-6) were defeated in every facet of the game on Sunday afternoon in SCF by the Ellsworth Hubbers (4-2) and lost by the score of 11-1. Mitch Johnson had a stellar performance on the mound for the Hubbers, giving up only two hits and one run through nine innings of work. The Bandits lone run came in the bottom of the 3rd inning, and even that inning was somewhat disappointing. Johnson started the inning by walking both Bandits rookie Ben Niehaus and Kyle Kahl. Will Ball hit a 1-1 fastball up the middle, but it was just slow enough that Hubber's shortstop Lance Hove was able to field it and turn a double play, instead of it being an RBI single to center field. Niehaus, now at 3rd base, scored on a Michael Chelberg flare single to left field.

The Bandits pitching tandem of Trevor Todd and Jim Rochford struggled, and the Hubbers hitters took advantage. The two combined for six walks over nine innings, and let up an astounding eighteen hits. The Hubbers had four batters that ended the game with three hits. The Bandits defense didn't help. The Bandits committed five errors in the first four innings of the game, and while those errors only amounted to two unearned runs, it sure looked bad.

The Bandits hope to recover, in what was easily there worst performance of the season next Saturday versus the Elmwood Expos. Jim Rochford stated, "Everything that could go wrong for us today, pretty much went wrong. Ellsworth is a good, well put together team, but they aren't 10 runs better than we are. We have got to put a better effort out there next weekend, because we just looked dead. You aren't going to win any games when you have two hits, five errors, and can't throw first pitch strikes. Hopefully, this game's result was an aberration that we won't see again...ever.

***NOTES***

Box scores can be found here

Game Balls

1. Michael Chelberg - you and Trev may have had some pick off miscues, but you went 1-4, and drove in the only run of the game for the Banditos.

2. Scott Lindholm - you went 1-4 with a double, unfortunately it was with two outs and we were down by six.

3. Ben Niehaus - you went 0-2 with 2K and a walk, but that walk turned into the only run the Bandits score all day....so congrats..

Unheralded Hero(es) of the Day: Thanks to Laura and Alicia for running the food stand, and a great crowd turnout for the spanking we received. It felt like when your parents would reprimand you at a family function and yell at you in front of everyone. We promise we'll be better, we promise!!...... Chelberg knows what I'm talking about...

WOW Play of the Day: How about Hubber's Jeremiah "Left-Handed-Kevin-Youkilis" Paulson's moonshot home run to center field off Trevor Todd, or his even harder hit double down the line in right field off Jim Rochford that nearly killed first baseman at the time Trevor Todd.

Things Heard Around the Diamond:

Are all you guys drunk or something

You will never see a guy swing harder in your life

What is Michael saying out there: I never know: He is just constantly moving... : That's his thing.

Players Missing in Action:
HS'ers of America - still working on the American Dream.
Adam Lewis - still working at becoming the first guy that works 160 hours during a given week.
Jeff Johnson - still working at avoiding us at all costs.

Next week's games are:

Saturday, 1pm vs. Elmwood at SCF
Sunday, 1pm vs. Osceola at SCF