West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The Nationals and Cubs split the first two games of the Milwaukee County championship series on Saturday night. The Cubs took the opener 9-3, but the Nationals stormed back to take the nightcap by a score of 8-4. Though the Nationals managed 12 hits in game one, they failed to string them together. That fact, coupled with the opponents' solid defense, led to the opening game defeat. The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI single by Mike Wajerski. True to form, the Cubs matched it with a tally in the bottom half of the inning. After an RBI single by James Herkowski scored Jake Paige in the third, the Cubs scored twice to take a 3-2 lead. Joe Reisinger's RBI in the fourth scored Jake Koutnik to tie the game until the Cubs took the lead back with two in the fifth. The game, though, was decided in the sixth inning. The Cubs put the game away with 4 runs on three hits, three walks, and an untimely throwing error. When the dust cleared, the Cubs had a commanding 9-3 lead. Nick Kibler picked the team up in game two, pitching a complete game, eight hitter. Kibler kept the Cubs off balance with a hard slider and tailing fastball, giving the offense a chance to redeem itself. Down 2-0 in the third, the Nationals scored three runs on 5 hits, chasing the Cubs starting pitcher from the game. After an RBI single from Alex Franson, the Nationals scored twice. With Franson at third and Herkowski at second after a double, the Cubs' starter unleashed a wild pitch. Franson scored followed by Herkowski, who alertly took the plate from second after the catcher's throw to the pitcher covering the plate got past him to the middle of the infield. The Nationals added two more in the fourth. Jake Koutnik led off the inning with a home run and Mike Wajerski scored from first after a stealing second and advancing two more bases on a throw into short center field. Chris Marks' two run homer in the fifth made the score 7-2 and the team was on its way to a series split and deciding third game. Tonight's championship game begins a 7PM at Zirkel Field.

The Nationals began a successful defense of their County Title Saturday night defeating a strong Milwaukee Angels squad by scores of 4-3 and 16-6. The Nationals jumped to a 2-0 lead in game one on a two-run homer by Chris Marks. Not to be outdone, the pesky Angels matched the score in the bottom of the first inning. With both pitchers settling in, further runs were more difficult to come by. Mike Wajerski created a run in the third after singling to left field. Wajerski enticed an errant pickoff throw to take second and stole third. Alex Franson's sacrifice fly then gave the Nats a 3-2 lead. Again, however, the Angels answered by adding a tally of their own to tie the score at 3. Chris Marks responded in the fourth. Marks hit a leadoff triple and scored on a wild pitch to give the Nationals a 4-3 lead. Jim Dettman made the best of his run support, gaining the victory. A seventh inning, two out rally was thwarted when Jake Paige fielded a ball deep in the hole at short and threw out a baserunner at third to end the game. Game two came a bit easier to the Nationals as the offense provided a 5-1 cushion after two innings. Jake Paige and Trevor Koepp each contributed four hits in the contest while Mike Wajerski added four runs and an important 3 run homer which gave the team an insurmountable 4-1 lead. Koepp finished the game with a team high 7 RBIs. The Nationals next face the winner of a Cubs/King Pins elimination game in the County Championship next Saturday night at Zirkel Field. Game one of the best-of-three series begins at 6PM.

With a playoff berth already clinched, most teams would have looked past a struggling Lifetime Financial squad. The Nationals, however, are unlike most teams. Demonstrating crisp defense and a methodical offense, the Nationals cruised past Lifetime Financial by scores of 11-1 and 10-0. Chris Marks started things off in game one with a first inning home run. The RBI's, Marks' 31st and 32nd of the season, temporarily gave him the team's season record. The short lived record, though, was broken by Trevor Koepp, who doubled home two runs in a 7 run fourth inning. Koepp secured the team RBI record in convincing style during the game two victory. Koepp knocked in 6 more runs with three hits, including a two run homer. Jim Dettman and Nick Kibler earned victories on the hill for the Nationals, limiting Lifetime Financial to a combined 5 hits. Please check out the team's final regular season stats for more details on the most potent offensive club in the franchise's 27 year history.

Since a runaway winner has been determined for this year's FATMAN, let's put our attention on this year's best offensive performer. The following calculation incorporates Runs produced per AB, On Base %, Slugging %, and Steals/game*.33 to determine a player's offensive effectiveness. Here are the results thru 7-29-02 (League games only) Koepp 2.530 Paige 2.159 Koutnik 2.062 Reisinger 2.059 Spata 2.036 Marks 1.894 Franson 1.800 Gibson 1.748 Dettman 1.727 Herkowski 1.604 Wajerski 1.472 Kissler 1.200

The archrival White Sox arrived Sunday night needing a sweep to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. The Nationals, however, had different plans, sweeping the Sox by scores of 13-3 and 14-9. In game one the team was challenged early by Sox power pitcher, Kris Ragner. Ragner struck out three of the first five hitters he faced and held the Nationals to one run through three innings of play. Nationals starter, Jim Dettman, was even better though, holding the Sox scoreless until the fifth. The Nationals broke game one open with an eight run fourth inning. Keying the inning was a two run triple by Trevor Koepp and a two run single from Jake Paige. Koepp finished the game with 5 RBI's and established a new franchise season record. Aggressive baserunning sparked the team in game two. The team stole three bases and drew three balk calls while jumping out to a 10-3 lead. Offensive heroics were provided by Jake Paige and Mike Wajerski, each producing three hits. Up next for the Nationals is Lifetime Financial in a makeup of Saturday May 25th's rained out DH. The teams will square off Sunday night at Zirkel Field.