by Rachael Paumen
After a week off due to cancellations, the Lakers got back into the swing of things on Wednesday, June 16, against the Delano A’s. Two road games followed on June 25 and 27 when the Lakers traveled to St. Michael and Dassel-Cokato, respectively.
Lakers vs. Delano
Although the game was scheduled to be in Delano, poor field conditions at Municipal Stadium forced the Athletics to travel to Maple Lake. Leading off at the top of each inning, the Lakers played as though they were the visiting team and were listed as such on the scoreboard.
One run and an error to advance all runners put the Lakers down early in the bottom of the first but Riley Decker started things off in the second with what would be the first of four consecutive hits drilled to left field. After being batted around, Riley scored after Cody Decker shot another one into left. Mitch Wurm’s sacrifice to center brought Darin Decker across the plate and the inning ended shortly after with the Lakers up 2-1.
Things continued much the same way in the third inning with Riley again leading things off, this time with a bunt down the left-field line. A hit from Bert Marsnik pushed Riley to second where he then moved to third on an error. Both runners were advanced when Chad Raiche poked one to right-center and Marsnik made it home on the next play. Now up 4-1, the Lakers recorded other hits but quick outs left runners on base to end the inning.
Delano recorded a run and was then able to force Maple Lake to go three-up, three-down in the fourth and kept runners stranded on base in the fifth, in hopes of mounting a come-back. This didn’t last long, however. Wurm was walked to first and batted around by Luke Fobbe and Graham Brown. Wurm then made it home when Riley dropped one in left. Marsnik sent one to the fence in left to score Riley, but back-to-back outs ended the inning.
A scoreless seventh led into a big inning for the Lakers with Marcus Zahn’s lead-off rip to left. Brown popped out to left and Riley sent another one to left to advance Zahn. Marsnik pounded the ball to the fence in left-center to score Zahn. Keeping the leftfielder busy, Darin dropped one just out of reach to score Riley. A wild pitch and passed ball brought Marsnik across and advanced those on base. Runners were left on second and third to end the inning.
Using his speed, Brown beat out the throw to first to start the final inning and was batted around and brought home when Marsnik was able to keep it just fair in right for a double. Four more batters tried adding to the Laker lead, but only Trent Zachmann was allowed to score when Nate Johnson shot one to right.
After holding the Athletics in the bottom of the ninth, the Lakers ended the game on top, with a final score of 12-2.
Jeremy Schmidt got things started on the mound for the Lakers. Schmidt faced 37 batters in eight innings, allowing 11 hits but striking out six. Sam Marsnik came in in the ninth for a one, two inning where he struck out one batter.
AB R H RBI G. Brown 6 1 1 – R. Decker 5 3 3 1 B. Marsnik 6 2 3 3 C. Raiche 6 2 4 1 D. Decker 6 1 3 2 N. Johnson 5 – 3 1 C. Decker 5 – 1 2 M. Wurm 3 1 – 1 L. Fobbe 2 – – – M. Zahn 2 1 1 – T. Zachmann 1 1 – –
Lakers vs. St. Michael
For the first away game in almost two weeks, the Lakers went on the road to face the St. Michael Saints on June 25.
Shut out for the first two innings, Maple Lake was unable to advance a runner far enough to make it home. However, St. Michael got to work early, earning a run in the first and adding two more in the second.
It wasn’t until late in the third that Luke Fobbe was allowed to cross the plate on an error following a hit from Nate Johnson. This was the only run allowed to score for the Lakers before St. Michael added one more for a score of 1-4.
A scoreless fourth brought up a high-scoring inning for both teams in the fifth. After reaching base, Fobbe was again able to score on another hit from Johnson. Darin Decker was up next and doubled to bring around Johnson. With the score now 3-4 the Lakers took the field in hopes of holding the Saints. Unfortunately, this was not the case and St. Michael was allowed five more runs. Runners for both teams were left stranded for the final three innings of the game as the Lakers fell to the Saints, 3-10.
“We were short-handed with only nine players and it took some of our bats out of our line-up,” said Lakers’ Manager Dale Decker said. “But we still managed to hit the ball pretty decent.”
Casey Pack was on the mound first for Maple Lake. Pack faced 35 batters in 5.2 innings, recording one strikeout. In the 2.1 innings following Pack, Wurm faced nine batters, striking out two. AB R H RBI N. Johnson 4 1 1 1 R. Decker 3 – 2 – Darin Decker 4 – 1 1 C. Decker 4 – 1 – Dusty Decker 4 – 1 – M. Zahn 4 – – – M. Wurm 4 – – – L. Fobbe 2 2 1 – C. Pack 3 – – –
Lakers vs. Dassel-Cokato
Short-handed again, the Lakers traveled to Dassel-Cokato on Father’s Day to take on the Saints.
After allowing the Saints to bring two men across in the first and then another in the second, the Lakers were down by three and struggled to get anything going until midway through the game in the sixth inning. Riley Decker reached after being walked and, after five batters, was allowed to score when Marcus Zahn was walked with the bases loaded. This was the only play that saw a Laker cross the plate and, after allowing two more runs in the eighth inning, Maple Lake fell to the Saints 1-5.
A major speed bump in this loss to D-C were the 12 strikeouts called against the Lakers.
“These were some of the better pitchers we will see this year, velocity wise,” Decker said, “Most of those were called strikes. We weren’t aggressive enough and you can’t win many games with only three or four hits.”
Chad Raiche started on the mound for the Lakers. In seven innings Raiche faced 35 batters, allowing 11 hits while striking out eight. Luke Fobbe came in to finish things off in the eighth, striking out two.
AB R H RBI N. Johnson 4 – 1 – R. Decker 3 1 – – Darin Decker 5 – – – C. Raiche 3 – 1 – Dusty Decker 3 – – – C. Decker 4 – 1 – M. Zahn 3 – – 1 M. Wurm 4 – – – T. Zachmann 2 – – – L. Fobbe 2 – – –
After a week off due to cancellations, the Lakers got back into the swing of things on Wednesday, June 16, against the Delano A’s. Two road games followed on June 25 and 27 when the Lakers traveled to St. Michael and Dassel-Cokato, respectively.
Lakers vs. Delano
Although the game was scheduled to be in Delano, poor field conditions at Municipal Stadium forced the Athletics to travel to Maple Lake. Leading off at the top of each inning, the Lakers played as though they were the visiting team and were listed as such on the scoreboard.
One run and an error to advance all runners put the Lakers down early in the bottom of the first but Riley Decker started things off in the second with what would be the first of four consecutive hits drilled to left field. After being batted around, Riley scored after Cody Decker shot another one into left. Mitch Wurm’s sacrifice to center brought Darin Decker across the plate and the inning ended shortly after with the Lakers up 2-1.
Things continued much the same way in the third inning with Riley again leading things off, this time with a bunt down the left-field line. A hit from Bert Marsnik pushed Riley to second where he then moved to third on an error. Both runners were advanced when Chad Raiche poked one to right-center and Marsnik made it home on the next play. Now up 4-1, the Lakers recorded other hits but quick outs left runners on base to end the inning.
Delano recorded a run and was then able to force Maple Lake to go three-up, three-down in the fourth and kept runners stranded on base in the fifth, in hopes of mounting a come-back. This didn’t last long, however. Wurm was walked to first and batted around by Luke Fobbe and Graham Brown. Wurm then made it home when Riley dropped one in left. Marsnik sent one to the fence in left to score Riley, but back-to-back outs ended the inning.
A scoreless seventh led into a big inning for the Lakers with Marcus Zahn’s lead-off rip to left. Brown popped out to left and Riley sent another one to left to advance Zahn. Marsnik pounded the ball to the fence in left-center to score Zahn. Keeping the leftfielder busy, Darin dropped one just out of reach to score Riley. A wild pitch and passed ball brought Marsnik across and advanced those on base. Runners were left on second and third to end the inning.
Using his speed, Brown beat out the throw to first to start the final inning and was batted around and brought home when Marsnik was able to keep it just fair in right for a double. Four more batters tried adding to the Laker lead, but only Trent Zachmann was allowed to score when Nate Johnson shot one to right.
After holding the Athletics in the bottom of the ninth, the Lakers ended the game on top, with a final score of 12-2.
Jeremy Schmidt got things started on the mound for the Lakers. Schmidt faced 37 batters in eight innings, allowing 11 hits but striking out six. Sam Marsnik came in in the ninth for a one, two inning where he struck out one batter.
Stats appear in this week’s Messenger.
Lakers vs. St. Michael
For the first away game in almost two weeks, the Lakers went on the road to face the St. Michael Saints on June 25.
Shut out for the first two innings, Maple Lake was unable to advance a runner far enough to make it home. However, St. Michael got to work early, earning a run in the first and adding two more in the second.
It wasn’t until late in the third that Luke Fobbe was allowed to cross the plate on an error following a hit from Nate Johnson. This was the only run allowed to score for the Lakers before St. Michael added one more for a score of 1-4.
A scoreless fourth brought up a high-scoring inning for both teams in the fifth. After reaching base, Fobbe was again able to score on another hit from Johnson. Darin Decker was up next and doubled to bring around Johnson. With the score now 3-4 the Lakers took the field in hopes of holding the Saints. Unfortunately, this was not the case and St. Michael was allowed five more runs. Runners for both teams were left stranded for the final three innings of the game as the Lakers fell to the Saints, 3-10.
“We were short-handed with only nine players and it took some of our bats out of our line-up,” said Lakers’ Manager Dale Decker said. “But we still managed to hit the ball pretty decent.”
Casey Pack was on the mound first for Maple Lake. Pack faced 35 batters in 5.2 innings, recording one strikeout. In the 2.1 innings following Pack, Wurm faced nine batters, striking out two.
Stats appear in this week’s Messenger.
Stats appear in this week’s Messenger.
Lakers vs. Dassel-Cokato
Short-handed again, the Lakers traveled to Dassel-Cokato on Father’s Day to take on the Saints.
After allowing the Saints to bring two men across in the first and then another in the second, the Lakers were down by three and struggled to get anything going until midway through the game in the sixth inning. Riley Decker reached after being walked and, after five batters, was allowed to score when Marcus Zahn was walked with the bases loaded. This was the only play that saw a Laker cross the plate and, after allowing two more runs in the eighth inning, Maple Lake fell to the Saints 1-5.
A major speed bump in this loss to D-C were the 12 strikeouts called against the Lakers.
“These were some of the better pitchers we will see this year, velocity wise,” Decker said, “Most of those were called strikes. We weren’t aggressive enough and you can’t win many games with only three or four hits.”
Chad Raiche started on the mound for the Lakers. In seven innings Raiche faced 35 batters, allowing 11 hits while striking out eight. Luke Fobbe came in to finish things off in the eighth, striking out two.
Stats appear in this week’s Messenger.
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