West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The West Allis Nationals ignored a time honored baseball tradition and played on Monday night vs the Giants in Oshkosh.  That's not the first - and won't be the last tradition dishonored by the team.  Nonetheless, they played.

As can be expected after a 90 mile drive, the team's offense was sluggish - not in the sense of power output, but more like fatigued.   However,the team did muster all of two hits and did score the game's only run in downing the Oshkosh Giants 1-0.

When you only score one run, it's helpful to have your pitcher throw a shutout.   So that's what Cody Griebling did - complete game, two infield hits, no walks and 9 strikeouts.

Adam Karas returned from the physically disabled list to knock a double and score the game's lone run.

After the game, impressed by his strong 0-3, reaching on an error and then promptly getting thrown out after convincing himself he is now a base-stealing threat, the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters signed Max Widmar to a one day contract with a team option.    In return the Nationals receive the piece of mind knowing they were beneficiaries of Widmar's impressive output.  In 13 WSL games, Widmar hit .487 with 3 HR's, 15 RBI's and a 1.463 OPS.   When informed that the signing will likely cost him WSL MVP consideration, Widmar replied, "I have good teammates on the Nationals, but my host family in Wisconsin Rapids are my friends."

All seriousness aside, good luck Max.   Say "Hi" to Froh, Jake, Putnam, Deano and the other Nationals who were successful in getting their one day contracts renewed. 

The Lombard Orioles showed Saturday why they have, and continue to be, the stick by which others are measured.   Using a powerful combination of balanced hitting and aggressive pitching the team easily dispatched the locals by scores of 15-2 and 6-1.

The Nats fell behind early by 5-0 scores and Lombard never looked back.   Tom Starck started game one and struggled with his command out of the gate.  He settled in to go 5 plus innings, but the damage had already been done.   Jim Jungbauer started off better game 2, but his wild throw to first on a sacrifice bunt attempt in the third inning instigated a third inning rally that put the Natties in a big hole.

The Natties hope to get back on track on Monday night in Oshkosh with a game against the Giants.  First pitch is set for 7:30pm. 

ROUND ROBIN PLAY

Thurs August 11

Kenosha at West Allis 7:30pm - Harvey Kuenn Field, West Allis

Friday August 12

Chicago at Kenosha 7:30pm - Simmons Field, Kenosha

Sheboygan at West Allis 7:30pm - Harvey Kuenn Field, West Allis

Saturday August 13 (all games in Sheboygan at Wildwood Park)

Chicago vs West Allis 4:00pm

Chicago vs Sheboygan 6:00pm

Kenosha vs Sheboygan 8:00pm

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Sunday August 14 (Sheboygan-Wildwood Park)

Top 2 teams based on win/loss record from round robin play- 6:00pm

Max Widmar continued his offensive tear on Wednesday night with 2 doubles, a homer, and 6 RBI as the West Allis Nationals downed the visiting Sheboygan A's 10-0 at Harvey Kuenn Field in West Allis.

Widmar's 2 run homer in the first inning gave the locals an early 3-0 lead and the team never looked back.   Aaron Goecks added a homer of his own in the third inning to push the lead to 8-0.

John Arnold started on the bump, going four innings while allowing 7 hits and 2 walks.   Jon Caban followed to close out the game.

This Saturday the Nationals host the 1st place Lombard Orioles at Henry Aaron Field in Milwaukee.   The two teams will play a DH starting at 3pm. 

The Nationals defeated Addison, IL 9-2, followed by a dramatic 7-6 victory over first place Lombard, IL to complete a successful weekend of games in Sheboygan.

Cody Griebling started and went the distance in game 1 vs Addison, striking out 12.  Kyle Kalkopf led the offense with 2 doubles and 5 RBI.

Game two was a back and forth affair.  Lombard jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first, but the Nationals responded with 4 runs of their own.   Lombard later tied the game at 4, but Max Widmar hit an opposite field homer in the fifth to give the Nats the lead.   Lombard responded with a 2 run homer in the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.   After a quiet sixth, the Nats rallied in the bottom of the 7th.  Ben Carpenter reached on an error to lead off and Jonah Meidl followed with a single.  With one out, Max Widmar singled to left, his fourth hit of the game, to tie the score at 6.   A Shey Smith flyout advanced runners to second and third with two outs bringing Aaron Goecks to the plate.   With two strikes, and after fighting off a few pitches, Goecks hit a squibber off the end of the bat to no man's land on the third base side of the hill, scoring Meidl with the winning run.   With the victory the Nats moved into 3rd place in the WSL.

Next up for the Nats are the second place Sheboygan A's on Wednesday night at Kuenn Field in West Allis. First pitch is set for 7:30pm.