Game Recap - Bandits tumble versus Prescott, lose 12-2.

The St. Croix River Bandits (0-2, 0-5) have yet to find their footing this season, experiencing erratic play from every aspect of the game. The game against Southern Division powerhouse Prescott was supposed to be the start of the conference season for pitcher Jay Gagner. However, Gagner was sidelined with nagging arm injuries that has plagued him since his start versus Blaine. The Bandits started OF Trevor Todd on the mound, making his 2nd appearance of the season. Trevor pitched admirably, but just could not keep the Pirates off the bases, allowing 19 men to reach base in 5 innings. The Bandits kept the game close, 5-2, until the bottom of the 5th inning where the Pirates poured on another 7 runs, most unearned, in route to a 10 mercy-rule victory in the 7th.

The Bandits did take the lead early in the game. In the 1st inning CF Scott Lindholm and 2B John Peterson led off with singles. P Trevor Todd reached base on a error, and the Bandits had the bases loaded with no outs. Unforunately, the Bandits would only get in 1 run off of a Michael Chelberg fielder's choice, leaving 2 runners stranded. The Bandits would once again have the bases loaded in the 3rd inning with 1 out, but once again could only score 1 run, again courtesy of Michael Chelberg with an RBI single.

After the smoke cleared, Prescott had scored 12 runs, only 6 earned in what CF Scott Lindholm called, "One of the worst fielding performances he had witnessed from the Bandits, even though we are done in the scorebooks for 3 errors, it seems like we made 9 errors or miscues." The Bandits will try to right the ship with a pair of non-conference games Saturday versus another stuggling Bandits team, the East Bethel Bandits, who are currently 1-4. "Make no mistake, we are playing these next two games to win, I'm not going out there if we are just going to half-#@! it.," says P/general manager Jim Rochford.

**Notes**
Bandits Bash at Boulevard Bar and Grill in Dresser - Sat May 23rd - whoever reads this - your attendance is mandatory - $10 at the door for unlimited tap beer from 8pm to 12am.

Game Balls:

1. Scott Lindholm: 3-4 2runs scored - cant ask for a better individual effort from the lead off, I asked him before the game if he could try to hit above the team's batting average (he was .10 under) and now 115 points ahead.

2. Michael Chelberg: 1-2 2RBI and a walk - raised his batter average 62 points with 1 hit.

3. Preston Langer: at 3rd base he had 5 assists and a putout with no errors, in what Lindholm said, was the only Bandits who didn't have a defensive lapse.

Unheralded Hero of the Day: Trevor Todd, who despite stopping at a gas station in the cities, still ran out of gas on the way to Prescott, about 7 miles away from the town. Congrats Trev.

The Bandits have 8 guy what are 25-89 combined so far this season. .281 BA
The Bandits have 8 guys that are 2-62 combined so far this season...ouch

Unavailable for the game (a long list today):
Adam Lewis - in jail/reasons unknown
Jay Gagner - minor tommy john surgery
Jim Rochford - pregnant
Curtis Roebuck - competitve cow herding debut
Jake Larcom - still running
Joe Holman - presumed dead
Jeff Johnson - appendectomy
Jesse Hartel - run-in with the Columbian Cartel
Gus and Matt - still in the minors (and will probably have a good run in the playoffs)

Game Preview - 5/16 @ Plum City and 5/17 @ Prescott

The St. Croix River Bandits (0-3, 0-0) start the regular conference season this weekend with 2 conference games, Saturday vs. Plum City (3-0, 2-0) and Sunday versus Prescott (2-0, 2-0). The Bandits hope to rebound after a tough non-conference schedule to start off the season. Saturday's game at Plum City will see the Bandit's Adam Lewis start on the mound for the first time this season. Lewis was a consistent hurler for the Bandits last season finishing 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA over 30 innings. Plum City is coming off of conference wins against new SCVBL member Hager City and pulled through against Elmwood in a 4-3 game last Saturday. The Bandits can expect to see Blues ace Tony Garner, who struck out 14 Bandits in their last meeting in May of 2008. The Blues won that game 6-2, scoring 4 runs in the top of the 8th inning. The Bandits expect to be at full force this game with all of the starters and most of the roster available.

The Bandits 2nd game of the weekend comes against the South Division's powerhouse Prescott Pirates, who went 22-8 in 2008 including 11-3 in the SCVBL. However, one of those losses came at the hands of Jay Gagner and the Bandits, in what was St. Croix's first game that season. Gagner pitched a complete game 1-hit shutout, striking out 8 and walking 0 in what was one of his more dominant outings of the season. Gagner will attempt that feat again, as he will take the mound against the Pirates on Sunday. I'm sure that the Pirates recall the loss and will be looking to exact revenge at their home field.