West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

The Nationals successfully defended their Milwaukee County Minor League Title in 2001 with 4 impressive playoff triumphs. On August 4 the Nats defeated their cross town rivals, the White Sox, in the Division Championship Series. Jimmy Dettman, Nick Kibler, and Tim Spata allowed a total of only 2 runs during the evening as the Nationals won by scores of 8-2 and 11-0. On August 11 the Nats faced a rematch with the North Division champion Dodgers. Again the team was up for the challenge defeating the Dodgers by scores of 2-0 and 15-7. Jimmy Dettman's two hit shutout in game one will be remembered as one of the finest big game performances in franchise history.

UPDATE: August 13, 2001 This reporter has verified that Andy Butorac is the canine handler who allegedly was involved in an altercation with Bernie Brewer. The D.A. has agreed to re-open the case based on new evidence brought forward by PETA. Charges were filed against Butorac Sunday evening. Butorac remains at-large. When last seen, he was impersonating a baseball player. Though his disguise is convincing-the costume is authentic-his lack of athleticism and foot speed blow his cover. Expect him to change costumes. Look for him as a pimp driving a tricked-out Cadillac or a Hell's Angel riding a Harley. Butorac is armed and dangerous. He often travels with a killer attack dog. Please approach with caution and notify the authorities with any information. PETA has offered a reward to those offering information leading to the apprehension of Butorac. This web site is committed to this story. As always, stay tuned for updates.

The Nationals made league history today, completing the season with a perfect record. The local champions won all 20 of their regular season contests and all 4 of their playoff contests. The only blemish on the team's record was a June 4th loss the the State League Champion Sheboygan A's. This year's team joins three other Lewie's/Nationals teams in completing the season without a loss. The Lewie's squads of 1982 and 1983 went 15-0 and 18-0 respectively. The 1989 Nationals completed the season with a record of 22-0.

It was a rematch of last year's Minor League Championship Series. Fritz' Dodgers were back for another shot at the league championship sporting a fine 15-1 mark. The Nationals, however, had other plans. Jimmy Dettman led the way in game 1. His two hit shutout was not only impressive, but necessary as the team was held to its lowest offensive output of the season. After a two run first inning the team was held scoreless. Dettman's fine mound work made that 2-0 lead stand as the squad took the opening game of the doubleheader. The Nationals jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first inning of game two. Chris Marks and Joe Reisinger contributed key knocks in the rally. Though two errors in the Dodgers' half of the inning led to three unearned runs, Nick Kibler never allowed the North Division champs to get any closer. After several more successful rallies, the Nationals emerged with a 15-7 victory and second consecutive Milwaukee County Championship. The Nationals will close out their season on Monday nite at Zirkel Field. Cream City stands between them and an unblemished regular season mark in league play. First pitch is at 8PM.

In playoff action, the Nationals continued their strong play. While the offense was impressive, the pitching and defense were dominant. Jim Dettman pitched 6 shutout innings in route to a game one 8-2 victory. Leading the way on offense were Mike Czarnecki with three hits and Andy Butorac with a game-breaking three-run double. Nick Kibler met the challenge in game two. Allowing only 6 hits and striking out 5, Kibler shut down the White Sox and the team cruised to a 11-0 victory. The Nats posted tallies in each of game two's seven innings. Leading the offense was James Herkowski with 3 hits. Brian Gibson added two, including a homer. Mike Czarnecki, Alex Franson, and Joe Reisinger also contributed two knocks. The series sweep earns the Nationals a berth in the Milwaukee County Minor League Championship. The team will face Fritz' Dodgers in a best of three playoff series beginning Saturday August 11 at 6PM. All games will be played at Zirkel Field in McCarty Park.